The 270 View Waves it's Flag! The Death of a Detainee and a Homeland Security Investigation of this Blog!

Later this week I will be starting a series of articles detailing the death of an immigrant at Correction Corporation of America's (CCA) Stewart Detention Center a few years back and how my blog became involved in attempting to get this issue examined by the Federal Bureau of Investigations for the violation of his civil rights. I will also be discussing the Homeland Security investigation of myself and my blog following the nationwide press that this story received from Cuentame.

This blog believes that there is nothing more patriotic one can do than question government. Is that not one of the very principals the United States were founded on?

ACLU Files Lawsuit for Sexual Assault of Immigrant Women

originally found here.

Williamson County, Corrections Corporation of America and three Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are being sued by the ACLU of Texas on behalf of three immigrant women who were sexually assaulted while in custody of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

According to a press release, the assaults occurred when Donald Dunn, a guard was transporting the women from the Hutto facility to the airport of bus station in Austin.

All three women were seeking asylum in the United States, fleeing sexual assault and extreme violence in their home countries.

“The fact that these women sought sanctuary in the United States -- only to find abuse at the hands of officials they thought would protect them – is wholly inconsistent with America’s self-proclaimed reputation as a beacon of human rights and protector of human dignity,” said Lisa Graybill, Legal Director for the ACLU of Texas.

Dunn is accused of assaulting a total of nine women.

Dunn pled guilty to three counts of official oppression and two counts of unlawful restraint based on his assaults of five women. He has been charged with four additional federal counts of criminal violation of civil rights and is awaiting sentencing on two of them.

The lawsuit alleges that ICE, Williamson County and CCA were deliberately indifferent and willfully blind to the fact that Dunn and other employees regularly violated the rule that detainees not be transported without another escort officer of the same gender present.

“Unfortunately, we believe these complaints are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Mark Whitburn, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Texas. “Government records reveal that since 2007, 185 complaints have been made to the Department of Homeland Security about sexual abuse in ICE custody, 56 of which were from facilities in Texas. Immigrants in detention are uniquely vulnerable to abuse, and those holding them in custody know it,” Whitburn added.

Inmates still hospitalized a week after Okla. riot

Originally found here.

Four inmates who were injured in a prison riot at the North Fork Correctional Facility last week remain hospitalized.

Corrections Corporation of America spokesman Mike Machak (MAY'-chak) said Tuesday the prisoners were still being treated at area hospitals. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Ralph Jackson says the inmates are in stable condition.

Forty-six prisoners were hurt during last week's riot at the private prison, which houses inmates from California. Prison medical staff treated 30 inmates and 16 initially were hospitalized.

Machak says officials are still investigating what caused the riot and no disciplinary action has been taken. He said none of the inmates have been returned to California.

The inmates are being housed at the western Oklahoma prison operated by CCA to help ease overcrowding in California.