A California mother has accused an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contractor of engaging in unwelcome sexual harassment. According to the complaint, the contractor repeatedly contacted the plaintiff through various means, including phone calls, video calls, and text messages. Disturbingly, he also sent her pictures of himself naked with an erect penis and videos of himself masturbating.
The complaint further alleges that the contractor attempted to coerce Reyna Mendoza for sexual favors, reportedly stating words to the effect of, “If you’re good to me, I’ll be good to you.”
Reyna Mendoza came to the United States from Mexico as a teenager, fleeing domestic violence, her family told KCRA 3. Although she has lived in the U.S. for nearly 40 years, she has been required to check in regularly with ICE through BI Incorporated.
BI Incorporated is a private company that provides electronic monitoring and supervision services for people involved in the criminal justice and immigration systems. Their services include GPS monitoring and ICE supervision programs. BI is a wholly owned subsidiary of The GEO Group, a large private prison and detention company. While BI operates under GEO’s corporate umbrella, it focuses specifically on monitoring and case management rather than managing detention facilities.
The Sacramento Police Department is currently investigating the allegations, a spokesperson confirmed to The Sacramento Bee.
### What People Are Saying
“It’s obviously very suspicious because all along the defendants that we are suing have been working very hard to cover up the sexual harassment,” said Reyna Mendoza’s lawyer, Israel Ramirez, in an interview with KCRA 3. “We’re still investigating this. We want all the facts to come out and we want the individuals who have harmed her to be brought to justice.”
Francisco Govea, Reyna’s son, shared his frustration with KCRA: “It’s really hard when you’re trying to speak up to the authorities about what’s going on and they dismiss it. Who do you ask for help at that point?”
ICE responded to the allegations on its website, emphasizing its stance: “ICE has zero tolerance for all forms of sexual abuse and assault, retaliation for reporting sexual abuse, or staff neglect or violations of responsibilities that may contribute to such incidents. ICE takes every allegation seriously and will hold perpetrators accountable for their sexual misconduct.”
### What Happens Next
Mendoza’s family told KCRA 3 that Reyna has been communicating with her attorneys from Mexico and plans to continue participating in the legal proceedings remotely.
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**EDITOR’S NOTE:** This story includes discussion of sexual abuse. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 in the U.S.
https://www.newsweek.com/woman-deported-after-reporting-sexual-harassment-by-ice-contractor-10951512