Woman reaches $475,000 settlement with border agency in illegal body search case

The agency has admitted no wrongdoings

US Border Patrol agents in El Paso. (Mark Ralston/Getty)

A New Mexico woman has reached a $475,000 settlement with the Customs and Border Protection agency after she had claimed she was subjected to six hours of illegal cavity searches.

The ACLU announced the agreement on Friday after suing the CBP for subjecting Jane Doe to the invasive searches without warrants or her consent. The woman settled her case against the University Medical Center of El Paso, who conducted the search on behalf of CBP, for $1.1 million in 2014.

“While we are pleased to have obtained justice for our client, this is really a victory for residents of border communities, who shouldn’t have to fear interactions with the thousands of border agents in their midst,” Rebecca Robertson, legal and policy director for the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement.

“Of course, this result could not have been achieved without Ms. Doe’s courage and perseverance. Had she succumbed to the threats of CBP agents and remained silent, who knows how many others might have suffered a similarly despicable experience.”

The incident took place in 2012 at the Cordova Port of Entry after a drug-sniffing dog jumped on her.

Still, CBP did not admit any wrongdoing in the case.

“CBP has policies, procedures, and training in place to ensure officers and agents treat travelers and those in custody with professionalism and courtesy,” the agency said in a statement. “While protecting the civil rights, civil liberties, and well-being of every individual with whom we interact, and maintaining the focus of our mission to protect all citizens and visitors to the United States.”