The ACLU Border Community Watchline is set up to provide border residents a way to safely and securely report Border Patrol activity or abuses, especially if the presence of agents is limiting or blocking access to essential services such as hospitals, COVID-19 testing sites, school lunch deliveries, or food pantries.
Being detained, going through processing, and interacting with Border Patrol can be a traumatic experience. We work to protect the rights of people detained by Border Patrol. If you experienced any of the following while being detained or processed by Border Patrol:
- Sleeping outdoors or in uncovered areas
- Violent treatment / sexual harassment
- Overcrowded holding cells
- Denial of medical care or medications
- Separated from your children
- Denied access to an attorney
- Lack of water or food
- No access to showers or toilet
Call or text us at 1-800-557-4916 to report concerns or abuses in recent interactions with Border Patrol agents. The watchline is now available to all community members. Simply send a text or leave a message with as many details as possible such as:
- Your first and last name
- Your phone number or email address
- A detailed description of what happened with the date, location, and the agency involved
- And, let us know if you have pictures or video
The information you provide will be used by the ACLU of Texas to track trends, incidents, and community concerns, and inform advocacy efforts and possible litigation aimed at protecting the civil rights of all.
Take the next step and share these helpful Know Your Rights tips on your social media or save them on your phone. Browse by scenario, in English and Spanish:
- Border Community Watchline
- La Linea Comunitaria de Monitorio en la Frontera
- Know Your Rights with Border Patrol when driving or walking
- Conozca sos derechos con la patrulla fronteriza cuando este manejando o commando
- Know Your Rights with Border Patrol at medical facilities
- Conozca sos derechos con la patrulla fronteriza en hospitales y clínicas médicas
- Know Your Rights with Border Patrol on your property
- Conozca sos derechos con la patrulla fronteriza en su hogar u otro lugar de su propiedad
Please note: This line is not set up to provide legal advice or immigration services. Contact local legal service providers for questions pertaining to immigration cases or other legal matters. If you would like to file a legal intake with the ACLU of Texas, please visit intake.aclutx.org. No attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by providing information on this line. The ACLU will not share identifying information without your consent and commit to resisting any attempt by a court to order disclosure. Due to limited resources, we may not be able to assist with your complaint. If you do not hear from us within 30-days, we will not be contacting you for additional information.
