To yellow that means you start. Two minutes remaining youre going to see a yellow light. Unlike when were driving instead of running yellow light you will speed up though, because the red light starts soon. When the red light hits, you have to stop. Were trying to provide as much time as possible for interaction. I know youll help me abide by that. Once the opportunity comes, be as concise as possible. Finally the record of this hearing is going to remain open 30 days. If panelists or members would like to submit materials they can either mail them to u. S. Commission on civil rights, office of civil rights evaluation at 131 im sorry 1331 pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. Thats 1331 pennsylvania Avenue Northwest suite 1150 washington, d. C. 20425 or via email at Public Comments at usccr. Gov. With those business of housekeeping out of the way, let me introduce our first panel. Our first panelist megan mack, director of the office of civil rights and liberties at the department of Homeland
Translation question and answer system, do you have that in place . And how do you assure that the answers that youre getting are real. I can tell you, from my own experience dealing with Asylum Seekers in other countries sometimes you need to ask. There are cultural issues about can you really ask them about rape, can you ask them about other family members . Are they afraid that any answer that they give to you is going to then be communicated back to their home country. So they tend not to be as truthful as they should be. I think the chairmans question pertained to mexican nationals. So, with regard to mexican nationals, all of the Border Patrol agents speak spanish. And so thats the thing we focus on as an agency that we are con sis tent and that we are fair and ensure that everyone is properly interviewed. Do you have someone, for example, who understands country conditions in a certain region of mexico, in columbia, in venezuela venezuela, in nicaragua, there are people there wh
Inherently vulnerable so we placed a high priority on identifying any protection concerns unaccompanied children from contiguous companies who dont present protection concerns excuse me under trafficking reauthorization act of 2008 when dhs encounters unaccompanied child from contiguous country such as mexico, the child is screened to identify potential victims of Human Trafficking and determine whether the child has a fear of persecution if returned to his or her home country. Dhs as a matter of policy con ducks this screening on all unacomp anied children regardless of country of origin. Well come back and ask you questions on those topics, i promise. Thank you. Chairman castro, thank you and distinguished members of civil rights, thank you for allowing me to be here today. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you about actions of Border Protection to implement standards to prevent tech and respond to sexual abuse and assault in confinement facilities. We refer to them as dhs p
I believe i can to the extent its not privileged. I would imagine it shouldnt be privileged but id be surprised if a document like that would be privileged. Im sure we can work out a situation where you can provide that to us. Okay. But it may well be in terms we dont need filled out one, just blank one to see what kind of questions you are asking. I would ask, have a moment hcr working with ice reviewing the form. I dont know where that process is but i know the form has been subject people have had a look at it. I think its googleable even if the government doesnt release it. It is a public form. I cant remember the number. I appreciate that. Recently received here at the commission a number of complaints, copies of complaints that were submitted involving religious freedom submitted by arab American American Arab Antidiscrimination Committee involving religious freedom at the stewart facility. Are any of you aware of these complaints . Its very possible my organization has gotten th
Secretarsecretary of state on kerrkerry is on a nine day tourf the middle east. His trip started with a quick stop th in egypt. During his six hour stay over kerry called for an end to the violence in egypt and for the country to move towards full democracy. The first stop u. S. Secretary of state john kerry made on his latest trip to the middle east was to the to saudi arabia, but instead to cairo egypt. Its the first highest ranking official visit since july 3 n. That is the stay that the military removed Mohammad Morsi from his post as president of egypt and placed him under arrest. The us has been anxious about what has been happening in egypt everever since and it was john y to deliver a message from washington on what they want cairo to do in the weeks and months ahead. What can they do to support working with this government and also supporting their move toward democracy. Lets put it this way. This trip was unannounced and that was denying egypt to say the United States is in s