City Attorney Mike Feuer followed through Tuesday with his pledge to file Freedom of Information Act requests seeking information from several federal agencies on detentions at LAX resulting from the Trump administration’s so-called travel ban.
The requests were filed Tuesday with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Feuer argued that the requests be expedited because the detentions involved the “loss of substantial due process rights” and the issue is “a matter of widespread and exceptional media interest in which there exist possible questions about the government’s ability that affect public confidence.”
Feuer is seeking detailed information on affected travelers who were bound for — or detained at — LAX beginning Jan. 27 following the issuance of President Donald Trump’s executive order that halted immigration into the country by individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The White House has defended Trump’s order as a national security effort aimed at securing the country’s borders.
Key parts of Trump’s executive order were blocked by a federal judge on Feb. 3, and last Thursday, a three-justice panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld the ruling. The issue could still end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
A week ago, American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Jennie Pasquarell told a City Council committee that Customs and Border Patrol agents at LAX deprived some detainees of food and water, solicited bribes and confiscated people’s cell phones. Pasquarell said the ACLU had been in contact with 329 people who had been detained — or their relatives.
Feuer sent a letter to federal officials on Feb. 3 and again last Friday seeking the information after he went to LAX on Jan. 28 following reports that hundreds of people, including those with valid green cards and work visas, were being detained or deported.
Feuer said he was rebuffed by Mitchell Merriam, LAX port director for Customs and Border Patrol.
“In addition, despite my law enforcement role, Mr. Merriam prevented me from gaining access to the portion of the airport controlled by (Customs), so I could assess for myself whether anyone was under detention,” Feuer wrote.
Merriam did not respond to a request for comment.
—City News Service