A government watchdog report out this month has turned over mixed results for Border Patrol facilities in Yuma.
The Office of Inspector General report comes from unannounced trips to Yuma’s Border Patrol facilities last fall. It found national detention standards, like transferring unaccompanied children out of Border Patrol custody within 72 hours and preventing overcrowding, were generally met for children, single women and families.
But that wasn’t always true for single adult men. The report found in some cases, they were held in overcrowded military tents, where temperatures soared past 95 degrees. The report also said data about the whereabouts of each detainee and access to medical screenings and showers was not always reliable.
The report says the facilities need to take another look at their data entry procedures to ensure more accuracy.
In February, a Haitian migrant being treated for COVID-19, pneumonia, and cholecystitis died at a hospital in Yuma. He had spent more than 10 days in Border Patrol custody and gone to the hospital several times for his illness.
Customs and Border Protection said investigators with its Office of Professional Responsibility were looking into the case, and Office of Inspector General investigators had also been notified.
