Posted on 06/08/2008 6:43:33 PM PDT by Coleus
An immigrant couple, here legally, and their U.S.-born son have joined a statewide lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security after their Paterson home was raided last month by federal agents looking for illegal immigrants. Walter Chavez and his wife, Ana Galindo, said Thursday that on April 2, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, forced their way into their home, pointing guns at Galindo and their child. "It was a nightmare for our family, and continues to be even today," said Galindo, 42. "The very worst part of it all was when an agent, who screamed at me the entire time, drew his gun when my son came out of his bedroom. I thought I would lose my son, my only son. I yelled to him, 'Come to me and stay still here.'"
The couple says the agents -- seven of whom entered their home while others stayed outside -- violated their constitutional rights and traumatized their son, 9-year-old Walter. The original lawsuit included 10 plaintiffs and was filed in April in U.S. District Court in Newark by the Seton Hall University Center for Social Justice and the Roseland law firm Lowenstein Sandler PC. The complaint -- one of a growing number of suits around the country challenging ICE raids at private residences -- maintains that immigration agents routinely force their way into homes using deception and intimidation. It says the agents often enter without judicial warrants or consent of the homeowners.
ICE spokesman Michael Gilhooly said the agency does not comment on pending litigation, and added: "The agency holds all officers and agents to the highest standards of law enforcement and ethics." Court papers say that ICE agents forced Chavez, 44, out of his car outside his Chamberlain Avenue home about 7:30 a.m. as he began to leave for work. The agents shoved him toward the door of the residence, demanding to see his wife, the complaint says. "We thought it was the Paterson police, and we couldn't understand why they were here," Galindo said. "We're hard-working, have our papers and are devoted to raising our son."
Once inside, the complaint says, agents yelled at Galindo, demanding to see evidence that she and her husband were in the United States legally. An agent drew his weapon when the couple's son emerged from his bedroom, then put it away, Galindo said, apparently after realizing that the target was a child. The couple said the agents never identified themselves, nor explained why they had singled them out. Galindo said she realized they were immigration officers after she saw "ICE" on the clothing of the agent who aimed the gun at her son. Galindo said that even after she showed the agents green cards for herself and her husband, and her son's U.S. passport, they continued to interrogate her, asking her where she was hiding illegal immigrants. "I told them the only people who live in this house are myself, my husband and my son," she said.
The agents, the suit says, at one point had a conversation that indicated they had targeted the wrong woman, yet remained there for about 45 minutes, asking the couple where they were employed and if they paid their income taxes. The agents threatened to take the boy away from them if they harbored illegal immigrants, Galindo said, and before leaving, warned: "We're going to come back. And next time it will be worse."
“”The agency holds all officers and agents to the highest standards of law enforcement and ethics.”’
Remember when Janet Reno and whats his name from the FBI said federal agents were above the law?
This reads between the lines like some disgruntled neighbor (employee, whoever) made a phone call, and ICE just took it and ran with it.
Guilty.
I can’t BELIEVE these ICE Agents! Who do they think they ARE....the BATF at Waco? LOL!
Guilty as in the legal immigrants hiding something.
this ain’t gonna play well on FR, factual or not.
“forced their way into their home”
When they do that, they’d better be ready for what’s
waiting for them on the other side of the door.
“this ain’t gonna play well on FR, factual or not.”
Why do Freepers have something against legal immigrants?
I’m not saying this is the case here (general incompetence is most likely), but this is EXACTLY the policy I would endorse (i.e. targeting innocent, legal immigrants) if I wanted to reduce public support for immigration enforcement.
They are lucky the Texas CPS didn't take their child away.
This is what it’s come to on this site? Has hostility toward Hispanics reached the point where federal government agents can act like jackbooted thugs and be praised for it as long as they target the “undesirable” ethnicities? Is this now a place where the Constitutional concept of innocent until proven guilty is spat upon? These are legal immigrants and they did not deserve to be harassed like this. The government agents were acting just like the ATF thugs who harass gun owners. Arrogant, rude, and threatening. And the accusations of guilt without evidence are just crap.
They do this to legal immigrants today - tomorrow they’ll be doing it to Hispanic U.S. citizens. And after that, they’ll be doing it to white U.S. citizens, too. On this site, we are constantly warned to be vigilant about the erosion of our civil liberties in the name of “fighting terrorism.” But no one ever warns about the erosion of our civil liberties in the name of “fighting illegal immigration.” Some idiots would probably support repealing the 2nd Amendment if it was packaged as part of an “anti-illegal” crusade.
Yes, I’m Hispanic. Yes, I support raids on illegal immigrants. But no legal immigrants deserve to be treated this way. Ever. People who can’t tell the difference shouldn’t be working for the government (and shouldn’t be voting, either). Just because I have slightly darker hair and eyes than the average American doesn’t mean I’m somehow softer on illegal immigration, or more liberal, or less patriotic.
UGH.
Some lack the intelligence to differentiate between legals and illegals, some are capable of telling the difference but too lazy to bother, and some are just plain racist.
I agree...but there are always going to be mistakes... even when there is the best intention....and sporadic abuses... (I got pulled over by local police and surrounded by six cars when I was in college and they ransacked my truck and then realized they had made a mistake and thought I had just robbed a local bank...and I'm a white guy...hey...s*** happens...) we can't let that make us condemn the whole program. The left uses stories like this to turn public opinion towards their agenda...
One mistake is not an excuse to stop enforcing immigration laws.
Well, to Democrats I guess it is...
That's exactly right...
This has been happening here for a long time, Jill...
The fallacy “Hispanic = illegal immigrant” is so pervasive here at FR that I’ve just simply given up trying to explain otherwise, and have cut posting and browsing drastically in this site.
Go to threads about other topics, subscribe to humor ping lists (I’m a faithful DUmmie FUnnies reader) or don’t log on to FR at all, but don’t let the hatred get to you.
Friendly advice from a fellow Hispanic.
I don't know anyone here who equates the two.... matter of fact most go to great lengths to make a distinction...pssssst!...your racism is showing....
Sooo ...should I sign all my posts as: "your fellow whitey"??
I know. I usually stick to TV threads, or gun threads. But I felt like I had to say something because of the civil liberties issue.
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