And now, the Department of Justice has proposed regulations that would exclude immigration detainees from protection under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. This is an unthinkable attempt to deprive a specific and vulnerable group of people from protection against rape and sexual assault. And it comes despite Congress's clear intent to protect all people in government custody from such abuse.I call upon you to protect all immigration detainees across the country from rape and sexual assault in custody by ensuring that they are covered under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA). Sexual assault in immigration detention is a serious, systemic problem. Since 2007, there have been at least 185 filed complaints of sexual abuse in immigration detention nationwide, and countless other incidents have gone unreported. Detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody face unique obstacles to reporting abuse, including language and cultural barriers, fear of reprisal by abusers, and threat of deportation.