Federal court rejects Canyon County's illegal immigration lawsuit




Associated Press - March 24, 2008 2:24 PM ET

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected an attempt by Canyon County commissioners to sue businesses that employ undocumented workers.

In the decision handed down Friday, Federal judge A. Wallace Tashima says the county can't prove that it suffered any harm as a result of businesses hiring undocumented workers.

Canyon County commissioners claimed the undocumented workers increased the county's tab for indigent medical care, schools and jails. The appellate court found that a government entity can't sue to recoup the costs of being a government entity.

The lawsuit marked the first time a government tried to use federal laws designed to target organized crime to demand damages from businesses for the costs of allegedly illegal employees.

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