Claims Open In Greyhound Immigration Sweep Settlement

OLYMPIA, WA — Greyhound passengers who were detained, arrested or deported after U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents boarded their Greyhound bus or approached them at Greyhound's Spokane Intermodal Center are now eligible to file claims and receive a portion of Greyhound $2.2 million settlement.

Back in September, Greyhound Lines Inc. agreed to end a partnership with U.S. Customs & Border Protection, which allowed ICE agents to perform "warrantless and suspicionless" immigration sweeps on its buses, in order to resolve a suit from Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Under that agreement, Greyhound agreed to pay Washington $2.2 million to settle the case, which Washington is now passing on to those who were wronged by that partnership.

According to the Attorney General's Office, the amount of money each claimant receives will "depend on the number of claims and the severity of harms suffered" because of Greyhound's treatment. Claims can be filed online at atg.wa.gov/greyhound. Forms can also be submitted by emailing Greyhound@atg.wa.gov, or messaging the form to the AGO over WhatsApp at 206-518-2723. The Attorney General's Office is not a part of the federal government, and thus does not require applicants to disclose their immigration status. All it asks is that all claims be submitted by March 31, 2022.

“Greyhound is paying for its failure to uphold its obligation to its customers,” Ferguson said. “People suffered real harm as a result of Greyhound’s conduct. If you were impacted, please contact us so that you can receive a restitution payment for the harm that you experienced.”

Ferguson filed the suit against Greyhound back in April 2020, alleging the bus line had been allowing the sweeps since at least 2013. The company first publicly admitted to the warrantless sweeps in 2018. That same year, Greyhound also admitted that the sweeps harmed their passengers.

"Immigration sweeps aboard Greyhound buses delay travel for all passengers," wrote the Attorney General's Office (AGO). "During the sweeps, Latinx and other passengers of color are subjected to invasive questioning by armed federal agents and are often required to get off the bus. CBP agents sometimes detain or arrest passengers, or rifle through their luggage, while others watch."

On top of paying out the $2.2 million settlement, Greyhound also had to:

• Create a "clear corporate policy" which denies CBP agents permission to board its buses without warrants or "reasonable suspicion" in Washington state.
• Instruct drivers and other employees to communicate that policy to CBP agents.
• Issue a public statement, in English and Spanish, declaring that Greyhound does not consent to immigration agents boarding its buses without a warrant or reasonable suspicion. The website must be posted on Greyhound's website, and must be sent to federal immigration law enforcement agencies and the City of Spokane.

The company also put stickers on the front door of its buses which say they do not consent to warrantless searches by immigration agents, and provided placards to bus drivers that say the same.

Related: Greyhound Ends Immigration Sweeps Following Washington Lawsuit