Lawmakers seek probe of ICE force-feeding of immigrants
Source: Associated Press
Garance Burke and Martha Mendoza, Associated Press
Updated 4:43 pm CST, Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Nearly 50 Democratic lawmakers called for a watchdog investigation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday after the agency confirmed it had been force-feeding immigrant detainees on a hunger strike.
Reporting by The Associated Press revealed late last month that nine Indian men who were refusing food at a Texas detention facility were being force-fed through nasal tubes against their will.
On Thursday, all force-feeding at the detention center near the El Paso airport abruptly stopped after a U.S. district judge said the government had to stop involuntarily feeding two of the detained immigrants.
The 49 lawmakers are calling for the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General to investigate on-site conditions of ICE facilities and the policies surrounding the involuntary force-feeding of immigrant detainees. Earlier this month, the Geneva-based United National human rights office said that the United States could be violating the U.N. Convention Against Torture.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Lawmakers-seek-probe-of-ICE-force-feeding-of-13628667.php
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