The belongings of some migrants who came through the Yuma Sector along the border were mishandled and mistreated in many cases, according to U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva.
Congressman Grijalva said last week the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General detailed the findings of its unannounced inspections of U.S. Customs and Border Protection holding facilities in the Yuma and Tucson areas. They looked at five U.S. Border Patrol facilities and two Office of Field Operations ports of entry.
Grijalva said Border Patrol’s management of migrant property was found to be inconsistent across both areas. Contrary to CBP operating procedures, some property retained by Border Patrol while migrants were in custody did not accompany the migrants when they were released or transferred.
Migrants and volunteers with the Arizona-California Humanitarian Coalition have told KAWC at the border that migrants have been given plastic bags to place their belongings in but some of those bags and other documents including passports, religious items including crosses and money from different countries have been left behind from Yuma to San Luis.
In a released statement, Congressman Grijalva said "It’s unacceptable. We need additional action from the Biden administration to ensure uniform practices and humane treatment of migrants and their belongings... We will continue to call upon CBP to address any current inconsistencies in how they handle migrant's personal property.”
In August of last year, Grijalva said he led 22 members of Congress in a letter to CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus and Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tae Johnson regarding reported instances of CBP agents confiscating and discarding migrants’ personal property, including religious property such as Sikh turbans.
