Bipartisan Bill Calls For Greater Accountability Among Border Law Enforcement
Two congressmen representing districts along the southern border reintroduced legislation Friday that requires greater accountability from the country's largest law enforcement agency.
Representatives Beto O'Rourke of Texas and Steve Pearce of New Mexico are the bipartisan cosponsors of the Border Enforcement Accountability, Oversight and Community Engagement Act, a bill that prioritizes complaints by the public against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which includes Border Patrol and officers at the nation's ports of entry.
Reports by both the federal government and human rights organizations scrutinize the agency for a failing to address internal corruption and its use of force.
Complaints detailed in one report include a pregnant woman who miscarried after a customs officer allegedly kicked her in the stomach. Officers have also been involved in multiple shooting deaths at the border.
The bill, among other things, calls for appointing an ombudsmen to investigate claims of abuse and establishing a database to track CBP's response to those claims. It also requires training for officers in improving community relations.
It was first introduced in March of 2014 but never made it out of committee.
