1 week Ago
YUMA, Ariz. — A Chinese woman has died while in the custody of the U.S.
Border Patrol Station (CBP) in Yuma, according to a United States Congresswoman from Washington. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.
) issued a statement on her webpage addressing the detainee's death. >> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone. Jayapal said the woman, whose name has not been released, died by suicide.
She further said that proper procedures to ensure the woman's safety were not taken by CBP. "This detainee died by suicide, and initial reports have indicated that certain CBP procedures to ensure the safety and welfare of individuals in custody were not conducted. There is no excuse for why agents cannot verify if some of the necessary welfare checks occurred – or why some of the documented welfare checks were incorrectly reported," Jayapal's statement said in part.
According to Jayapal, the woman was taken into custody in California after she overstayed a visit on a B1/B2 visitor visa. After the woman was taken into custody, she was sent to Yuma, Arizona to be detained. In the statement, Jayapal said the woman was seen on surveillance video tying a noose and then putting it around her neck; no medical response occurred for two hours after that.
"According to information provided by CBP, logs note that multiple welfare checks were conducted, however, CBP OPR was unable to verify if those checks actually occurred, and for some of them, a Border Patrol Processing Coordinator (BPPC) stated that he did not conduct the logged checks," the statement said. 12News reached out to CBP for a statement. A spokesperson said that each cell is under constant surveillance.
CBP did say the surveillance may have been limited in this case. "Border Patrol’s ability to observe the incident was limited due to privacy constraints—the incident occurred in a bathroom stall where cameras were not able to capture the full angle. Additional details will be shared as the investigation progresses," the CBP spokesperson said.
CBP said the incident remains an open and active investigation. The agency said, "All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously, and are thoroughly investigated by CBP." Read Jayapal's full statement below: U.
S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement after a Chinese national died at a U.S.
Border Patrol Station in Yuma, Arizona. “When Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents take a person into custody, they are responsible for their well-being, full stop. This detainee died by suicide, and initial reports have indicated that certain CBP procedures to ensure the safety and welfare of individuals in custody were not conducted.
There is no excuse for why agents cannot verify if some of the necessary welfare checks occurred – or why some of the documented welfare checks were incorrectly reported. “As the CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigates this death, they must provide answers on why these welfare checks were not conducted and falsely recorded, and why this woman was able to die by suicide without any guard intervention. “Last year in Washington State, two detained persons died at the Northwest Immigrant Processing Center (NWIPC).
I remain incredibly concerned about the conditions at these facilities. Another preventable death only increases that concern. Reports have consistently shown that the United States falls far short of its obligations to treat all detained people with dignity and fairness.
” According to CBP OPR, the woman was taken into custody in California after it was determined that she had overstayed a B1/B2 visitor visa. Agents transferred her to Arizona where she was detained. According to information provided by CBP, logs note that multiple welfare checks were conducted, however, CBP OPR was unable to verify if those checks actually occurred, and for some of them, a Border Patrol Processing Coordinator (BPPC) stated that he did not conduct the logged checks.
Surveillance footage showed the woman create a noose and tie it around her neck, yet no medical response occurred for nearly two hours. CBP spokesperson's full statement: This remains an open and active investigation. All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously, and are thoroughly investigated by CBP.
Each holding cell is under constant video surveillance. In this case, Border Patrol’s ability to observe the incident was limited due to privacy constraints—the incident occurred in a bathroom stall where cameras were not able to capture the full angle. Additional details will be shared as the investigation progresses.
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