Freedom for Immigrants and partners filed a federal civil rights complaint detailing civil and human rights violations committed against Cameroonian individuals in the custody of ICE at the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, Louisiana, including testimony from three men who face imminent deportation after experiencing threats, physical violence, and coercion in the forced signing of deportation documents. All three of the complainants are seeking asylum in the U.S. and face life-threatening consequences if deported to Cameroon. Read the full complaint here.
‘After about 5 minutes of struggle, they forced my index finger on the paper’: ICE Forcing More Asylum Seekers to Sign Deportation Paperwork at Jackson County Correctional Center, Louisiana
Freedom for Immigrants and other immigrants rights organizations filed a multi-individual Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) complaint with the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil liberties (CRCL) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG), detailing ICE’s continued use of force and torture against Cameroonian asylum seekers to sign their own deportation paperwork. According to the complaint, ICE used coercive tactics against six Cameroonian asylum seekers detained at the privately-operated Jackson County Correctional Center in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. Tactics include threats of violence, physical abuse and forced taking of fingerprints in restraint to forcibly certify deportation and travel paperwork. Read the full complaint here.
Use of torture to coerce Cameroonian immigrants into signing immigration documents at Adams County Correctional Facility, Mississippi
Freedom for Immigrants and partners filed a multi-individual complaint with the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) and Office of Inspector General (OIG), condemning the agency for deploying excessive force to coerce Cameroonian asylum seekers into signing their own deportation papers. According to the complaint, ICE coerced eight Cameroonian men detained at the privately operated Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, Mississippi on September 27 and 28. The complaint describes the coercive tactics, including threats of violence and direct physical abuse to obtain submission, forced taking of fingerprints while individuals are in restraint, and the use of pepper spray against those who decline to sign their deportation papers. Read the full complaint here.