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A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 13 January 2020

Suit over Border

Patrol detention

conditions goes to trial

By ASTRID GALVAN clean themselves. But ad-
The Associated Press vocates say the Border Pa-
PHOENIX (AP) — A years- trol still holds immigrants for
old lawsuit challenging prolonged periods in filthy
detention conditions in sev- and freezing conditions.
eral of the Border Patrol's Although the lawsuit pre-
Arizona stations will go to dates last year's surge in
trial Monday as the agen- immigrant arrivals at the
cy as a whole has come southern border, it illustrates
under fire following several the some of the challenges
migrant deaths. posed when migrants are
The lawsuit filed in 2015 ap- detained, especially if they
plies to eight Border Patrol are children.
facilities in Arizona where Nearly 852,000 people —
attorneys say migrants are largely families with kids —
held in unsafe and inhu- were apprehended last fis- In this Aug. 9, 2012, file photo, suspected illegal immigrants are transferred out of the holding area
mane conditions. cal year. after being processed at the Tucson Sector of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters
A preliminary injunction This prompted cries of a cri- in Tucson, Ariz.
granted by U.S. District sis at the border from gov- Associated Press
Court Judge David C. Bury ernment officials looking Photos from 2015 that were Others showed rusty toilets, standards when it comes
in 2016 already requires the to stem the numbers and evidence in the case show dirty toilet paper on the to the detention of people
Tucson Sector to provide widespread allegations of men jammed together un- floor and a malfunctioning in these facilities," said Vic-
clean mats and thin blan- subpar conditions in Border der an aluminum blanket water fountain. toria López, advocacy and
kets to migrants held for Patrol facilities that are de- and a woman using a con- "We're talking about ensur- legal director for the ACLU
longer than 12 hours and signed for short-term stays crete floor littered with trash ing that the government of Arizona, one of the orga-
to allow them to wash or for adults. to change a baby's diaper. is meeting constitutional nizations that sued. q

California sends earthquake response

experts to Puerto Rico

Associated Press undefined Gov. Gavin Newsom said there. The group consists
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) the deployment comes in of experts in incident and
— California is sending 31 response to the Puerto Ri- emergency management,
disaster specialists to Puer- can government's request engineering and safety as-
to Rico after a magnitude for assistance. sessment, planning, public
5.9 earthquake struck the The Governor's Office of information, debris man-
island's southern coast on Emergency Services says in agement and crisis coun-
Saturday, the latest in a se- a statement that the team seling.
In this July 6, 2019, file photo provided by the Cal OES, Governor’s ries of quakes over the past will depart from Sacra- Earlier this week, Newsom
Office of Emergency Services, California Gov. Gavin Newson,
far left, Mark Ghilarducci, Cal OES director, sitting third from left, week that have toppled mento on Sunday and will approved the deployment
and other city officials discuss the goals and strategy for days homes and schools and left spend 16 days working with of four firefighters to assist
and weeks ahead in Ridgecrest, Calif. more than 4,000 people in emergency management with search and rescue
Associated Press shelters. and public safety officials operations.q