California judge awards over $1 million to 2 children held in CBP custody

SUMMARY

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel has awarded over $1.5 million to two child siblings and their mother after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detained them at the San Ysidro border crossing in 2019. The judge awarded $1.1 million to the 9-year-old sister, who was held for approximately 34 hours, and $175,000 to her 14-year-old brother, held for around 14 hours. Their mother, Thelma Medina, received $250,000. The children, born in the United States, lived with their parents in Tijuana, Mexico, and attended school in San Ysidro, California. Judge Curiel alleged that CBP's actions violated the children's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure, criticizing the detention as 'extreme' and 'negligent'.