Border security

Complaint: US Border and Customs Officers Abusing Residents

Residents along the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso and New Mexico face repeated verbal and physical abuse from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Customs officers, including accusations of being prostitutes and the seizure of their legal documents without cause, according to a complaint filed Tuesday by a coalition of advocacy groups.

In a complaint submitted to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, advocates say officers used excessive force, verbal abuse, humiliating searches and intimidation to coerce individuals into surrendering their legal rights.

The complaint, filed on behalf of 13 people, also said the officers have harassed border crossers with legal documents and threatened retaliation when the residents promised to report the violations.