"You don't have rights here"
Subtitle: US border screening and returns of Central Americans to risk of serious harm
By: [researched and written by Clara Long; edited and contributed by Alison Parker]
Contributors: Parker, Alison, 1970- editor, contributor; Human Rights Watch (Organization)
Publisher: Human Rights Watch
Published: 2014
Place of publication: New York]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 44
ISBN-13: 9781623132002
Copyright date: 2014
Subjects: Deportation; Human rights; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Illegal aliens; Emigration and immigration law; Government policy
Other titles: US border screening and returns of Central Americans to risk of serious harm; United States border screening and returns of Central Americans to risk of serious harm; United States :
Description: In recent years, the United States has apprehended growing numbers of Central Americans crossing the US-Mexico border without authorization. These migrants have left their countries for many reasons, including fleeing rising violence by gangs involved in the drug trade. US Customs and Border Protection deports the overwhelming majority of migrants it apprehends from Central America in accelerated processes known as "expedited removal" or "reinstatement of removal." These processes include rapid-fire screening for a migrant's fear of persecution or torture upon return to their home country. "You Don't Have Rights Here" details how summary screening at the US border is failing to identify people fleeing serious risks to their lives and safety. It is based primarily on the accounts of migrants sent back to Honduras or in detention in US migrant detention facilities. An analysis of US government deportation data shows that the Border Patrol flags only a tiny minority of Central Americans for a more extended interview to determine if they have a "credible" fear of returning home. Migrants said that Border Patrol officers seemed singularly focused on deporting them and their families despite their fear of return. Some said that after their deportation they went into hiding, fearful for their lives. Human Rights Watch calls on the US government to ensure that immigration authorities give the cases of Central American migrants sufficient scrutiny before returning them to risk of serious harm. It also urges US authorities to stop detaining migrant children, and to improve migrants' access to lawyers. -- back cover.
Notes: "October 2014"

Human Rights Watch report.

"This report was researched and written by Clara Long, US Program researcher on immigration and border policy at Human Rights Watch. ... Alison Parker, US program director, edited and contributed to research and writing of the report." -- page 44.

Includes bibliographical references.

Also available online.
Table of contents: title: Summary; title: Methodology; title: I. Background on threats in Honduras; title: II. First-hand accounts: Threats facing returned Hondurans; title: III. Expedited removal, reinstatement of removal, and screening for credible fear; title: IV. First-hand accounts: Asylum seekers' experiences in expedited removal; title: V. Detention and access to counsel; title: VI. US law and international refugee law; title: Recommendations; title: Acknowledgments.