Why is Obama refusing to protect detained asylum seekers, migrants from rape?

Source: National Immigrant Justice Centre

Sexual violence is pervasive in America’s prisons and jails. Congress took an important step to prevent sexual abuse in prison when it passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), which set a “zero-tolerance standard” for prison rape and created guidelines to hold correctional facilities accountable for protecting inmates. But the Obama administration refuses to apply these protections to the 400,000 immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers it detains every year, even though a 2010 report by Human Rights Watch uncovered numerous allegations of sexual abuse in immigration detention facilities.

This exemption is flawed and dangerous and It is time for the Obama administration to apply PREA’s common-sense standards to all immigration detention facilities. This policy brief examines the need for PREA protection in immigration detention facilities and the important impact this measure would have.

Take Action: Protect the human rights of detained immigrants

Tell US Attorney General Eric Holder to uphold his committment to universal protection for all people in American prisons and jails. Ask him to implement the PREA regulations and include immigration detention facilities as mandated by Congress and international law.

• Send an email to Holder at www.immigrantjustice.org/action/prea or call (202) 353-1555.

Policy Brief PREA

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