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Complaint: U.S. Border & Customs Officers Abusing Residents

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Immigrant advocates are complaining about U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers' actions toward residents along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and New Mexico.

A coalition of advocacy groups said Tuesday that they filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security alleging at least 13 residents have experienced abuse, including being falsely accused of being prostitutes to having legal document seized for no reason.

The complaint says the officers have harassed border crossers with legal documents and threatened retaliation when the residents promised to file complaints.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico Regional Center for Border Rights and other groups in Texas and New Mexico want the allegations investigated.

A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General did not immediately respond to an email.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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