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Josefina and José: Family of six with pregnant mother held in windowless Blaine CBP cell

A family of six asylum seekers, including a pregnant mother and four children as young as 11 months, were held a month in a windowless Blaine, Washington cell, prompting a $15 million ACLU claim.

Apr 22, 2025Blaine, WA

Josefina and José: Family of six with pregnant mother held in windowless Blaine CBP cell
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A family of six asylum seekers from southwestern Africa — parents Josefina and José and their four children, ages 13, 10, 5 and 11 months — were held in a single windowless cell at a CBP facility in Blaine, Washington for about a month starting in April 2025, according to an ACLU complaint. Josefina, who was five months into a high-risk pregnancy, was hospitalized twice during the detention after CBP staff allegedly kept her in unsafe conditions despite hospital warnings, and she suffered pregnancy complications. The children reportedly went weeks without mental stimulation or physical activity, and the 13-year-old was allegedly handcuffed when taken to shower. The ACLU of Washington filed a federal claim seeking $15 million in damages from the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, one of 54 such claims filed nationwide in July under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

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