Links to long-form information about U.S. border governance and migration
Published by the DHS Inspector General on July 20, 2021.
Finds little wrongdoing on the part of Border Patrol after a Guatemalan government gave birth unattended, with her pants on, while in custody awaiting processing. (Link at oig.dhs.gov)
Published by the DHS Inspector-General on July 20, 2021.
Finds deficiencies in border and migration agencies’ attention to detainees’ medical needs. (Link at oig.dhs.gov)
Published by WOLA on October 14, 2020.
Voices strong concerns about where a culture of cruelty and impunity is leading U.S. border agencies, and points to ways out.
Published by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic staff, October 13, 2020.
Finds that State Department-funded CBP personnel operating on the ground in Guatemala apprehended Honduran migrants and transported them back to Honduras in unmarked vans. (Link at foreign.senate.gov)
Published by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector-General on September 28, 2020.
Looks at how CBP misspent much of $192 million that Congress had appropriated to attend to the humanitarian needs of migrants in custody. (Link at oig.dhs.gov)
A 14-month investigation by House committee staff finds poor conditions and urgent health risks for migrants in ICE’s network of privatized detention centers. (Link at oversight.house.gov)
Published by the House Committee on Homeland Security on September 21, 2020.
A year-long study based on site visits to eight ICE detention centers finds deficient medical care, abuse of solitary confinement, challenges accessing legal services, and unsanitary conditions. (Link at homeland.house.gov)
Published by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector-General on September 4, 2020.
“Overall, the majority of respondents reported their facilities were prepared to address COVID-19.” The report makes no recommendations. (Link at oig.dhs.gov)
Published by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector-General on September 1, 2020.
The result of congressionally mandated unannounced inspections of CBP holding facilities. (Link at oig.dhs.gov)
Published by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector-General on August 24, 2020.
Examines two incidents of cross-border use of tear gas and other crowd control measures during the arrival of a “migrant caravan” in Tijuana, and finds only minor wrongdoing. (Link at oig.dhs.gov)
Published by the Department of Defense Inspector-General on August 18, 2020.
A detailed look at the funding, management, and legal authority for the Trump administration’s deployments of military personnel to the U.S.-Mexico border. (Link at dodig.mil)
Published by the Washington Office on Latin America on July 27, 2020.
An overview of key measures in the House of Representatives’ version of the 2021 DHS appropriation, including cutting border wall spending, defunding “Remain in Mexico,” reducing ICE detention, and others.
Published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office on July 15, 2020.
Finds serious fault with CBP’s handling of the health of children in custody and its use of funds designated by Congress for humanitarian purposes. (Link at gao.gov)
Published by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General on July 14, 2020.
Finds major, basic shortcomings in CBP’s planning and purchasing as it built Donald Trump’s border wall.
Published by the Center for a New American Security on May 12, 2020.
Noting that “the functions of border security and immigration enforcement…have grown disproportionately large in size and broad in scope, without the necessary oversight and accountability structures,” the security think-tank proposes a series of reforms.
Published by the U.S. Senate on April 8, 2020.
Raises concerns about allegations of CBP mistreatment of pregnant people in its custody. (Link at blumenthal.senate.gov)
Published by The New Republic on January 7, 2020.
A look at continual growth in Homeland Security budgeting and capabilities in the pre-Trump years.
