[Guadalajara, Jal. September 30, 2020] This week, The Rhizome Center for Migrants joined over 100 organizations in requesting that the National Archives and Records Administration reconsider its recent approval of CBP’s request to destroy internal records of misconduct. 

The Rhizome Center for Migrants interviews Mexican nationals deported through the Interior Repatriation Initiative (IRI) program to identify whether an abuse has occurred and files complaints on behalf of those who have suffered a violation of their rights while in U.S. custody.  In interviews with migrants deported through the IRI program, The Rhizome Center for Migrants has identified CBP practices that violate the basic rights of detainees.

The documents CBP now seeks to ultimately destroy include “records developed to track and monitor complaints that are or will be investigated by DHS Civil Rights and Civil Liberties regarding alleged violations of civil rights and civil liberties”, including complaints filed by The Rhizome Center for Migrants; “records pertaining to administrative and criminal investigations on [CBP] employees, contractors, and those in CBP custody”; and records and reports of Prison Rape Elimination Act allegations.

CBP’s history of abuse and impunity, lack of transparency, and inability to hold its own personnel accountable, call into question any attempt to destroy evidence that could be used in future examinations of the federal law enforcement agency. The public comment filed this week seeks to prevent CBP from destroying its own paper trail of blatant misconduct.  

The full public comment can be viewed here.