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Many detained at Detroit-Windsor border after wrong turn
There have been 213 people, including families, have been detained at the Detroit-Windsor border, between January and March, according to the lawmaker and two immigrant rights groups. Most of the people detained made the wrong turn toward the Ambassador Bridge, leading to their detention at the border.
(FOX 2) - Hundreds of people who took a wrong turn at the Ambassador Bridge over the U.S.-Canada border in Detroit were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
The Congresswoman's visit to CBP's operations at the bridge in March revealed the detentions, which included prolonged stays over 300 hours and families.
What we know:
There have been 213 people, including families, have been detained at the Detroit-Windsor border, between January and March, according to the lawmaker and two immigrant rights groups.
Most of the people detained made the wrong turn toward the Ambassador Bridge, leading to their detention at the border.
The facilities are intended for short-term stays. But, according to the ACLU, the detention spaces are increasingly being used for prolonged detentions.
Tlaib was told one person was held for 300 hours. She was also told one person attempted suicide while in custody that officials prevented.
Among those held at the border was a woman named Sarahi, who took a wrong turn while driving to Costco and ended up at the Ambassador Bridge. She was held in detention for days with her two kids.
Only after her kids became sick, and she arranged for a friend to come pick them up was she released a day later while under ICE supervision.
"This was the worst possible situation for Sarahi and compounded by the possibility that she would be separated indefinitely from her children," said Ruby Robinson, with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.
The case is one of 12 involving families held at the Detroit-Windsor border.
Mother takes Ambassador Bridge by mistake, now faces deportation from the U.S.
You might have fallen victim to it, accidentally merging into the toll area that goes right onto the Ambassador Bridge, to Canada. For one woman, that simple wrong turn could all end with her getting deported.
What we don't know:
The numbers provided to Tlaib by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol include data from January to March. It's unclear how many more people have since been detained at the border.
It's also not clear what is supposed to happen next for the people after they have been taken by CPB.
Tlaib said that while the agency acknowledges the space where they house the people detained at the border is not for long-term detentions, they told the congresswoman that they were waiting for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to come and retrieve the detainees.
Officials during the virtual meeting also expressed concern about what is taking place in the spaces where detainees are held.
"We worry about what is happening in these non-public spaces, given the almost non-existent transparency, accountability, and access," said Robinson.
Advocates also said the individuals detained are not listed in the locator system run by ICE and are denied legal counsel or contact with their families.
Dig deeper:
Sarahi's story is not the only one that has been reported.
Earlier this week, a report about Ricardo Prada Vasquez, a Venezuelan man who also made the wrong term toward the Ambassador Bridge in January, was ensnared by U.S. officials.
He was first moved to an ICE facility in Battle Creek, before being transported to Chicago. He was then deported to El Salvador. He has not been seen or heard from since.
"His experience shows the speed of the deportation machine, how individuals are being fast-tracked and this already speedy process does not even consider the expanded use of expedited removal," said Robinson.
There is also a concern of due process that is not being considered for those detained, Tlaib said.
"I believe the erosion of due process is a threat to all of us, no matter your name or your immigration status," the congresswoman said.
The legal right is at the center of a legal battle between the U.S. Supreme Court and the Trump administration, which has so far declined to follow the court's order to facilitate the return of a man wrongly deported to El Salvador.
The other side:
A spokesperson with CBP declined to common on any specific cases, but said the agency "ensures all individuals in custody are treated with respect and in accordance with the law."
"A top priority for CBP is to minimize the duration of any detention, with detention times being influenced by operational requirements, case complexity, and other factors. However, individuals’ choices and legal violations contribute significantly to the necessity of detention. CBP facilities are intended for short-term detention, and individuals are either transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or released when legally appropriate."
The Source: The ACLU, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and previous reporting