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ACLU Investigates Sexual Assault Complaints at Otay Mesa Prison

ACLU officials are looking into allegations that a male guard at an Otay Mesa immigration detention center sexually assaulted female detainees. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson has details.

ACLU Investigates Sexual Assault Complaints at Otay Mesa Prison

ACLU officials are looking into allegations that a male guard at an Otay Mesa immigration detention center sexually assaulted female detainees. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson has details.

The ACLU 's Tom Jawetz says he's received a handful of complaints during the last few weeks.

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He says the women say a guard ordered them to a secluded room, one at a time, told them to strip, and in some cases touched them.

Jawetz says he's following up with the women and trying to get more information.

We don't know whether it is one officer or more than one officer. We don't know whether an investigation was begun in response to internal complaints about this behavior. But what we do know is very disturbing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lauren Mack says a guard at the Otay facility was fired within the last two months for behaving inappropriately around female detainees. She says no criminal charges were filed and would not provide more details.

It's not clear whether the cases are related.

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Mack would not provide details and says no criminal charges were filed.

Amy Isackson, KPBS News.