U.S. congresswomen demand apology on CBP’s detention of Iranian-Americans

U.S. congresswomen are demanding a formal apology from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) after officers detained almost 100 Iranian-Americans nearly two years ago at the Peace Arch Border Crossing.

On January 4 and 5, 2020, over 80 individuals of Iranian descent were sent to secondary inspection and interrogated, some of whom were held for up to 12 hours while others were turned away because of the overcrowded facility. Without explanation, children and the elderly had their passports confiscated and were questioned on their political views. Many of those held were returning from an Iranian pop concert in Vancouver, days after a U.S. drone strike killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on January 3 and intensified military tension with the country.

In a January 5, 2020 tweet, CBP initially denied there was a directive within the agency for extreme vetting of Iranian-Americans. However, a CBP whistleblower said in January 2020 that direction came from CBP’s Seattle Office of Field Operations in Blaine.

Congresswomen Suzan DelBene (WA-01), who represents Blaine residents, and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), wrote a November 2 letter to CBP acting commissioner Troy Miller asking CBP to publish an internal report on the incident.

“We are approaching the second anniversary of this unfortunate situation and U.S. Customs and Border Protection has yet to apologize for or fully respond to our questions about the events that took place,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers made three demands they wanted from CBP before January 5, 2022: A formal apology about the January 5, 2020 tweet that denied the interrogation, prompt publication of the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties’ report describing the incident and a CBP press conference where the agency apologizes and commits to change.

“Men, women and children legally entering or returning to the United States at a designated port of entry should not be arbitrarily held and questioned solely based on their religion, ethnicity, or national origin,” DelBene and Jayapal wrote. “In conjunction with the Iranian community, we eagerly await the development and release of a corrective action plan to assure that these events do not recur.”

To view the letter, visit bit.ly/3nT4ae2.