Citing AP investigation, senators demand answers on use of full-body restraints during deportations

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A “near-total secrecy” surrounding deportation flights and the use of full-body restraints onboard is raising “serious human rights concerns,” a group of 11 Democratic U.S. senators wrote in a letter Thursday to top immigration officials.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland called upon U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide a full accounting of its air operations and to stop using the black and yellow restraints known as the WRAP until the agency explains its policies for the device and resolves other questions about its use on immigration detainees.

“I think it’s very problematic,” Van Hollen told The Associated Press. “They want to keep the public in the dark.”

The senators' letter cites an AP investigation this month that revealed several examples of ICE using the device on people — sometimes for hours — on deportation flights dating to 2020. Van Hollen was joined by U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Alex Padilla of California, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, and six others.

The WRAP is the subject of several federal lawsuits likening incorrect usage of the device to punishment and even torture. Advocates have expressed concern that ICE is not tracking the WRAP’s use as required by federal law when officers use force, making it difficult to discern exactly how many people are being subjected to the restraints.

“When an organization like DHS doesn’t want transparency, it’s because they don’t want people to know what they’re doing,” Van Hollen said, referring to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent agency.

In addition to the letter, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., told AP in a statement that she is working on a bill to rein in the agency's use of the WRAP.

“ICE’s use of full-body restraints to immobilize detained individuals raises serious concerns about the safety, dignity, and human rights of those under their jurisdiction,” Ramirez said.

DHS has not answered detailed questions from the AP about the use of the WRAP and did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin previously said that ICE's practices “align with those followed by other relevant authorities and is fully in line with established legal standards.”

The manufacturer of the WRAP, Safe Restraints Inc., said in a statement to AP that the device “was specifically designed to prevent pain and injury.”

“Our priority is preserving life and preventing harm," the company said. “We strongly oppose any misuse or untrained use of this equipment.”

The AP found that DHS has paid Safe Restraints Inc. $268,523 since it started purchasing the devices in late 2015, during the Obama administration. Government purchasing records show the two Trump administrations have been responsible for about 91% of that spending.

ICE would not provide AP with records documenting its use of the WRAP despite multiple requests, and it’s not clear how frequently it has been used in the current and prior administrations.

In addition to reporting on ICE's use of the device, the AP identified a dozen fatal cases in the last decade where local police or jailers around the U.S. used the WRAP and autopsies determined “restraint” played a role in the death.

“The brutal, inhumane tactics of ICE continue to jeopardize people’s lives across the country,” Ramirez said. “ICE is acting outside of oversight or accountability. That can’t go on.”

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Mustian reported from Washington and New York and Dearen reported from Los Angeles.

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Contact AP’s global investigative team at [email protected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/.