Rights panel visits Texas detention centers

12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, July 23, 2009


The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other civil rights groups are meeting with an international human rights organization visiting the state to point out problems at immigrant detention centers.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is visiting detention facilities in Texas, including the T. Don Hutto family immigrant detention center in Taylor, where commission members went Wednesday. That center was the subject of a federal lawsuit. IACHR representatives also are touring the Willacy County detention center in Raymondville and the International Emergency Shelter for undocumented minors in Los Fresnos.

Lisa Graybill, ACLU of Texas legal director, said monitoring of the Hutto family center by outside groups is needed because court oversight of a legal settlement expires at the end of August.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency issued a statement Wednesday saying it strives to keep families together through immigration removal proceedings.

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