Federal Judge Awards $1.5 Million to Children Held by CBP

A federal judge in California awarded over $1.5 million to two U.S. citizen children and their mother after they were falsely imprisoned by Customs and Border Protection in 2019 when trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border for school. The siblings, a 14-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, were detained for hours, with the girl coerced into falsely confessing to be her cousin during interrogation, violating their constitutional rights. The judge criticized the government's actions, stating that detaining the children for extended periods without proper investigation was unreasonable and a violation of the Fourth Amendment. This ruling highlights the importance of protecting the rights of individuals, especially minors, at border crossings, emphasizing the need for adherence to policies and safeguards in such situations.