Protect Immigrants from Sexual Assault

Sexual violence is pervasive in America's prisons and jails. Congress took an important step toward preventing sexual abuse in prison in 2003 when it passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). PREA established a “zero-tolerance standard” for prison rape and created guidelines to hold correctional facilities accountable for protecting detainees. But the Obama administration refuses to apply these protections to the 400,000 immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers it detains every year.

When U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced proposed regulations for PREA, he exempted detention centers, prisons, and county jails that contract with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to hold immigrants.

This policy is indefensible.

Click here to tell Attorney General Holder to include immigration detention in the PREA regulations

Photo credit: Hash Milhan