DETROIT/LYNDEN, WA-U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is being slammed for allowing its agents to act as interpreters and 911 responders. 

In 2011 a family’s 911 call turned tragic after CBP agents along with law enforcement officials arrived at their home and reportedly shot a family member 13 times and killed him. Speaking to The Arab American News Tuesday Jesus Martinez, the father of Alex Martinez, the victim who was shot, says he wants justice in his son’s death, but both law enforcement officials and CBP still haven’t launched an investigation into the case. 

Jesus Martinez, father of Alex Martinez

When CBP and law enforcement officials arrived at the home, Martinez came outside and tripped over a step, and was shot at.  Both CBP and law enforcement claim Martinez was holding a hammer, but his family says that’s not true, and Martinez had a flashlight in his hand. 

Speaking during a press conference call the victim’s mother said, “Why are they doing the things they’re not supposed to be doing? They still have not provided an explanation to my child’s death. I want to know what will happen to the people who did this to my son, because no one was held accountable. He had a flashlight not a hammer, why are they lying?”It’s now become a common practice in parts of the country for CBP officers to act as 911 responders and interpreters. In the process they have managed to arrest, detain and deport people back to their countries of origin. In one case a man was allegedly stopped while driving. He told officers he didn’t speak English, then CBP arrived to act as interpreters and the man was eventually deported. 

CBP is an agent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), however DHS is limited over the authority it has to change CBP practices. 

Over the last few years CBP has come under much scrutiny as allegations that its agents have repeatedly profiled Muslims and people of ethnic backgrounds continue to surface. This week immigrant advocate groups and 11 members of Congress called for an independent investigation into reports of abuse at the hands of Border Patrol.  Congressman Hansen Clarke’s office represented the other U.S. representatives and joined immigrant groups representing states from New York to Washington requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct an audit of Border Patrol practices. Clarke is a Democrat who represents Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. 

U.S. representatives from Michigan also include democratic Congressman John Conyers of the 14th District and Democratic Congressman Gary Peters of Michigan’s 9th District.   The letter calling for the GAO investigation of Border Patrol comes after a

number of reports of abuse by Border Patrol ranging from detaining people based on their religion, ethnic backgrounds to denying food and water to those detained. 

“After years of internal investigations, it’s become clear that Border Patrol can’t police itself.  Even former agents have come forward to confirm the problems with abuse,” Ryan Bates, Director, Alliance for Immigrants Rights (AIR) Michigan said. 

“It’s time for an independent watchdog to help get Border Patrol under control, which is why we’re so glad that eleven members of congress have called on the GAO to begin an investigation.”

Earlier this year the Council on American Islamic Relations of Michigan filed a lawsuit against CBP, and the FBI over the repeated detention of Muslims at and inside the U.S. Canada border. The lawsuit filed on behalf of four Americans alleges the two agencies detained and handcuffed them without evidence of wrongdoing and questioned them about their religious beliefs and worship habits. Dearborn resident Wissam Chafafeddine is one of the plantiffs on the lawsuit. Since 2008 he’s driven to Canada from metro-Detroit more then five times and was detained and handcuffed during each trip for up to eight hours. During each incident he was asked questions ranging from whether he’s a Sunni or Shiite, what mosque he prays at and who the Imam is there.  CAIR-MI and AIR have received a number of complaints over the last few years on practices by CBP, the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.