Claims process now open in $2.2M Greyhound settlement

Money available for those detained, arrested or deported after immigration agents approached them, or boarded their bus, at the Spokane Intermodal Center

SPOKANE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that the claims process is now open as a result of his successful civil rights case against Greyhound Lines Inc. Greyhound passengers detained, arrested or deported after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents approached them, or boarded their Greyhound bus, at the Spokane Intermodal Center are eligible for a share of $2.2 million Greyhound paid to resolve Ferguson’s lawsuit. Claims are due by March 31, 2022.

Since at least 2013, Greyhound allowed CBP agents to board its buses to conduct warrantless and suspicionless immigration sweeps. Greyhound failed to warn customers of the sweeps, misrepresented its role in allowing the sweeps to occur and subjected its passengers to discrimination based on race, skin color or national origin.

Washington filed a civil rights lawsuit against the national bus line company in Spokane County Superior Court in 2020. As a result of the case, Greyhound was required to change its policy and must deny CBP agents permission to board its buses without warrants or reasonable suspicion in the State of Washington, among other reforms. Greyhound was also required to pay $2.2 million, which Ferguson is using to provide restitution to those impacted by Greyhound’s unlawful conduct.

The amount of restitution each individual receives will depend on the number of claims and the severity of harms suffered due to Greyhound’s conduct.

If you or a family member were detained, arrested or deported after immigration agents approached you, or boarded your Greyhound bus, at the Spokane Intermodal Center, please contact the Attorney General’s Office. Online claim forms are available at atg.wa.gov/greyhound in both English and Spanish. Claim forms can be submitted online, by email, via WhatsApp or by mail.

Claims are due by March 31, 2022. The Attorney General’s Office is not part of the federal government and submitting a claim does not require you to disclose your immigration status or pay a fee.  

“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.”

Restitution process

There are four ways to submit claims:

• Fill out the online form in English or Spanish at atg.wa.gov/greyhound
• Email the completed form to Greyhound@atg.wa.gov
• Message the completed form using WhatsApp to 206-518-2723
• Mail the completed form to:
  
  • Washington State Greyhound Claims c/o Greyhound Team
    800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000
    Seattle, WA 98104

The Attorney General’s Office is not part of the federal government and submitting a claim does not require you to disclose your immigration status or pay a fee. The Attorney General’s Office will not ask about immigration status.

The amount of restitution each individual receives will depend on the number of claims and the severity of harms suffered due to Greyhound’s unlawful conduct.

Claims are due by March 31, 2022. After reviewing the claims, and following up for additional information as necessary, the office expects to begin issuing checks by summer of 2022.

People with questions can contact the Attorney General’s Office by phone at 1-833-660-4877 (choose option 8 from the main menu), or by email at Greyhound@atg.wa.gov

Greyhound reforms as a result of AG’s civil rights lawsuit

In addition to paying $2.2 million, Greyhound is also required to:

• Create a clear corporate policy that denies CBP agents permission to board its buses without warrants or reasonable suspicion in the State of Washington.
• Provide training for its drivers and employees on how to communicate its corporate policy to CBP agents.
• Issue a public statement, at minimum in English and Spanish, clarifying that Greyhound does not consent to immigration agents boarding its buses without a warrant or reasonable suspicion. It must put this statement on its website and communicate it to federal immigration law enforcement agencies and the City of Spokane, which owns the Intermodal Center.
• Place stickers on or near the front door of its buses stating that it does not consent to immigration agents boarding its buses without a warrant or reasonable suspicion.
• Provide placards for its drivers to give to immigration agents stating that Greyhound does not consent to immigration agents boarding its buses to conduct warrantless or suspicionless searches.
• Provide and display adequate notice to its customers of the risks of warrantless and suspicionless searches in the State of Washington wherever it sells bus tickets.
• Implement a complaint procedure for passengers who want to complain about the presence of immigration agents on Greyhound buses or at Greyhound bus stations, and notify the Attorney General’s Office of any such complaints received.
• Provide semi-annual reports to the Attorney General’s Office, including reporting whether immigration agents have boarded Greyhound buses in the State of Washington.

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Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

Media Contact:

Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

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