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Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General requesting information about the Department’s handling of coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns and the health, safety and welfare of detainees and staff at Border Patrol Station One in El Paso, Texas and across the country.

The letter followed alarming reports from legal service providers in Texas detailing the inhumane and dangerous conditions in detention facilities. At Border Patrol Station One, these conditions include a single holding area of 150 detainees with flu-like conditions, failure to abide by social distancing guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), inadequate access to basic hygienic supplies like soap and toilet paper; and a lack of proper medical screenings.

“In the midst of this pandemic, it is urgent that your agency investigate these reports immediately. If CBP continues with this degree of inaction, there could be a severe outbreak of COVID-19 among this vulnerable population and throughout the entire El Paso region. The long-term impact on both the health of my constituents and the more than $80 billion in annual trade in our region would further devastate the nation’s economy,” Congresswoman Escobar wrote.

Congresswoman Escobar continued the letter requesting a larger review of COVID-19 protocols agency-wide to get an accurate account of what is occurring in detention centers. “While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offers publicly available data on its website relating to confirmed cases among detainees and staff, CBP has no such mechanism to date. In fact, CBP has refused to provide any data when requested explicitly. The health and safety of all is paramount, including for those in our custody.”

The full letter can be read here.