Thread: Immigrant advocacy groups sue over New Haven raids

newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--immigrants-raid0811aug11,0,3650576.story

Newsday.com
Immigrant advocacy groups sue over New Haven raids
2:03 PM EDT, August 11, 2007

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ Two immigrant advocacy groups have filed suit against a federal agency over recent raids that resulted in the arrests of more than 30 people in New Haven.

The suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court, seeks to force the Department of Homeland Security to release records on how the agency's Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents coordinated the June 6 raids.

The federal sweep occurred two days after New Haven approved a new program to provide municipal identification cards for all residents _ including illegal immigrants _ to let them access services such as banking and the library.

Mayor John DeStefano and others have questioned whether the immigration raids were conducted in retaliation for the city's adoption of that program.

The new lawsuit, brought by a free legal clinic at Yale Law School, is similar to one filed last year that seeks details on immigration raids in Danbury.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said the New Haven sweep was planned weeks in advance and had nothing to do with the city's adoption of the ID card program.

The new lawsuit was filed by Junta for Progressive Action and Unidad Latina en Accion, which also have raised money to help release the detainees and done other work to learn how the sweep was planned and conducted.

Officials from those groups say they requested the records under the Freedom of Information Act, but were denied.

"We want to ensure that this operation was carried out in accordance with federal, state and local laws," said Junta's executive director, Sarahi Almonte. "More importantly, we want to make certain that the rights of our immigrant communities have not been violated."

Oh my god, what in the world do this groups want??? When local officials deal with the illegal immigration problem, they say it is unconstitutional and it is the Federal Govt's job! then when the Feds do their job, we get this??? Timing of the raids is irrelevant! They can do raids any time they want! What in the world do you not understand about ILLEGAL??????If you are illegal you do not belong here, the only right you have is to leave the Country on your own! Geezz!

It might work if they get the right judge... The judge in the Hazelton case let John and Jane Doe sue and win... So the fix was in from the get go....

Why were they allowed to file a law suit ?

Do we now have to inact laws to stop this kind of frivilous law suit against the laws of our country???

I would guess the ones filing this law suit are illegals so this would be a good time for an arrest ICE !!

GIVE ME A BREAK !