Greyhound will no longer allow Border Patrol agents to conduct immigration checks on buses without a warrant, the company announced Friday.
“Our primary concern is the safety of our customers and team members, and we are confident these changes will lead to an improved experience for all parties involved,” Greyhound said in a statement. “We plan to begin the implementation of these changes immediately.”
The announcement comes a week after the Associated Press published an internal memo from the nation’s largest bus company showing agents are being prevented from boarding buses despite Greyhound denying that was the case.
Greyhound had been pressured by civil rights groups to stop allowing Border Patrol agents on buses, including the American Civil Liberties Union.
“We are pleased to see Greyhound clearly communicate that it does not consent to racial profiling and harassment on its buses,” Andrea Flores, deputy director of policy for the ACLU’s Equality Division, told the Associated Press. “Greyhound is sending a message that it prioritizes the communities it serves.”
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson had threatened Greyhound with a lawsuit, alleging the company violated consumer protection laws by facilitating raids. His office released a statement criticizing Greyhound for taking so long to make the decision.
“Today’s announcement from Greyhound confirms what should have been obvious to the company since I contacted them a year ago — it has both the power and the responsibility to stand up for its customers, who suffered for far too long from Greyhound’s indifference to CBP’s suspicion-less bus raids and harassment,” the Democrat said, adding that his office will follow up with Greyhound “to ensure compliance.”
Following leaked memo and threat of AG lawsuit, Greyhound says it will stop allowing CBP to board its buses without warrants: https://t.co/nSrtgTrQcj pic.twitter.com/MqwmWbsDbX
— Washington State Attorney General (@AGOWA) February 22, 2020
Under the Obama administration, Border Patrol began scaling back “transportation checks,” especially along the border between the United States and Canada, after being criticized for “racial profiling.” Agents were told to stay away from bus and train stations unless they had “actionable intelligence” about a person in the country illegally, and that had to be cleared by Border Patrol headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Under President Trump, authority was returned to Border Patrol chiefs in their respective sectors, which has caused a rise in station operations, the agency said.
“The U.S. Border Patrol conducts regular outreach with transportation companies to foster good working relationships,” the Border Patrol said in a statement earlier this month.
