Payne, Thompson, Watson Coleman Inquire on Newark CBP Hazing & Sexual Assault Allegations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) sent a letter to the Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding media reports revealing allegations of longtime sexual assault and crude hazing by CBP Officers at Newark Liberty International Airport.
In the letter the Members write:
“There is no place for this type of conduct at CBP or anywhere else in the Department of Homeland Security.”
“[W]e are deeply concerned that CBP leadership in Newark did not have procedures in place to discover and appropriately respond to this behavior sooner and that CBP Headquarters is apparently not properly overseeing Field Offices and ports of entry to prevent this conduct from occurring. Furthermore, these allegations raise serious questions about whether similar conduct is occurring elsewhere within CBP or the Department.”