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House Democrats launch tracking system for immigration abuses
Topline:
Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight on Monday launched a new tracking system to document possible misconduct and abuse during federal immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration, according to Rep. Robert Garcia of Long Beach, who is the ranking member of the committee.
The details: As of Monday, the the new dashboard listed 252 incidents dating back to Jan. 26. Only incidents verified by reputable media outlets or referenced in litigation are included, according to the committee website. Social media videos without corroboration are not included. Each incident is categorized as either under one or more of the following types of possible misconduct: "concerning use of force," "concerning arrest/detention," "concerning deportation," and an "enforcement action at a sensitive location.” Incidents involving U.S. citizens are categorized with a "U.S. Citizen" tag.
The backstory: Immigrant rights organizations and many Democratic leaders have long expressed concerns about the practices of federal immigration authorities carrying out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan. “Our Dashboard shines a light on the harmful actions perpetrated against U.S. citizens and immigrants across the country,” Garcia said in a statement.
In-custody deaths: More than 40 members of the U.S. House, including 15 representatives from California, are also demanding answers from federal authorities about the record number of people who died in immigration detention this year. Fifteen people have died so far this year, including two at the Adelanto immigration detention center.