The American Civil Liberties Union along with various immigration organizations filed an official complaint against the U.S. Boarder Patrol. The complaint alleges 116 incidents of abuse towards minors detained while crossing the U.S./Mexico border.

James Lyall, a border litigation attorney with the ACLU told reporters, "Children are being abused on a massive and widespread scale. This is an urgent crisis that needs to be addressed immediately, these children's stories are horrific."

Stories from the alleged victims of abuse claim that they were shackled or chained by handcuffs in strenuous positions, made to drink from toilets, denied food and not given blankets for warmth in cold holding cells. Victims allege that sometimes there was as many as 30 people crammed into an eight-man cell.

The Customs and Border Protection agency released a statement saying that it, "strives to protect unaccompanied children with special procedures and safeguards. Nutritional and hygienic needs are met and mistreatment or misconduct is not tolerated."

The recounts of abuse were taken from victims who ranged from ages 5 to 17. Interviews were conducted to obtain the information, starting last spring. All alleged abuse is said to have happened within the next year. For the minor's protection their identities in the complaint were only represented by initials.

An especially chilling incident released in the complaint occurred between a 16-year old and her 2-year old child. The mother and child were stuffed into a cold cell over crowded cell for three days. On the third day the mother realized that her child was suffering from a high fever. Although officers threw her a wet towel, further medical assistance was not granted. The complaint filed by the ACLU is filled with heart wrenching stories of alleged mistreatment by Boarder Patrol Officers.

 Ashley Huebner, an attorney for the Immigrant Children's Protection Project says that these issues are nothing new when it comes to the treatment of detainees. "Even worse, Border Patrol has been committing these abuses for years, and our organizations have notified the agency numerous times, yet nothing has changed. The recent increase in arrivals of young people at the border makes it especially urgent that CBP ensure all children in their custody are treated safely and humanely."