Democratic senators demand answers on ICE’s use of full-body restraints on deportation flights

WASHINGTON AP A near-total secrecy surrounding deportation flights and the use of full-body restraints onboard is raising serious human rights concerns a group of Democratic U S senators wrote in a letter Thursday to top immigration executives U S Sen Chris Van Hollen of Maryland called upon U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide a full accounting of its air operations and to stop using the black and yellow restraints known as the WRAP until the agency explains its policies for the device and resolves other questions about its use on immigration detainees I think it s very problematic Van Hollen narrated The Associated Press They want to keep the society in the dark The senators letter cites an AP inspection this month that revealed several examples of ICE using the device on people sometimes for hours on deportation flights dating to Van Hollen was joined by U S Sens Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts Cory Booker of New Jersey Alex Padilla of California Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and six others The WRAP is the subject of several federal lawsuits likening incorrect usage of the device to punishment and even torture Advocates have expressed concern that ICE is not tracking the WRAP s use as required by federal law when officers use force making it hard to discern exactly how multiple people are being subjected to the restraints When an organization like DHS doesn t want transparency it s because they don t want people to know what they re doing Van Hollen revealed referring to the U S Department of Homeland Assurance ICE s parent agency In addition to the letter U S Rep Delia Ramirez D-Ill communicated AP in a report that she is working on a bill to rein in the agency s use of the WRAP ICE s use of full-body restraints to immobilize detained individuals raises serious concerns about the safety dignity and human rights of those under their jurisdiction Ramirez mentioned DHS has not answered detailed questions from the AP about the use of the WRAP DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin previously revealed that ICE s practices align with those followed by other relevant functionaries and is fully in line with established legal standards The AP ascertained that DHS has paid the manufacturer of the WRAP Safe Restraints Inc since it started purchasing the devices in late during the Obama administration Regime purchasing records show the two Trump administrations have been responsible for about of that spending ICE would not provide AP with records documenting its use of the WRAP despite multiple requests and it s not clear how frequently it has been used in the current and prior administrations In addition to reporting on ICE s use of the device the AP identified a dozen fatal cases in the last decade where local police or jailers around the U S used the WRAP and autopsies determined restraint played a role in the death The brutal inhumane tactics of ICE continue to jeopardize people s lives across the country Ramirez announced ICE is acting outside of oversight or accountability That can t go on Mustian disclosed from Washington and New York and Dearen communicated from Los Angeles Contact AP s global investigative group at Investigative ap org or https www ap org tips Source