Thread: Immigrant Groups Take Feds To Court

New Haven Independent
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Immigrant Groups Take Feds To Court
by Melissa Bailey | August 10, 2007 3:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

IMG_9593.JPGMelissa Bailey PhotoIn attempt to force federal immigration authorities to disclose information on the June 6 raids in New Haven, two immigrant rights groups have filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

On behalf of JUNTA for Progressive Action and Unidad Latina en Acción, Yale Law School attorneys filed the suit under the Freedom of Information Act in New Haven U.S. District Court Friday. Click here to read the suit.

JUNTA and ULA said they are concerned the raids were a "retaliation" against the city:
Less than two days after the city approved an immigrant-friendly ID plan, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents swept through Fair Haven on June 6, arresting 29 undocumented immigrants. Mayor John DeStefano expressed similar concerns at the time, lashing out against the feds for "targeting" New Haven and allegedly violating immigrants' civil rights. Raids were subsequently suspended.

In the suit, JUNTA and ULA say DHS has failed to respond in a timely manner to two Freedom of Information requests filed on June 26: One sought records regarding the planning of the raids; the other sought any agency correspondence mentioning the municipal ID program. Under the federal FOIA act, agencies have 20 days to respond to requests, with a possible 10-day extension.

The raids "greatly shook the stability and safety that we strive to create in New Haven," said JUNTA's Laura Huizar (pictured above at right). The information requested would allow the groups to "ensure that the rights of our immigrant neighbors were not violated," she said at a press conference outside New Haven's federal courthouse Friday.

"If we live in a democracy, there has to be complete transparency as to how the government acts in relation to the community," said John Jairo Lugo (pictured above at left), director of ULA.

In a June 29 letter, ICE acknowledged receipt of one of the FOIA requests and pledged prompt response: "ICE currently has a FOIA backlog, however, we are working expeditiously to eliminate this backlog," the letter reads. "Due to the multi-track processing, your case will not fall within this backlog." But over 30 days passed and JUNTA and ULA never received a further response from ICE.

In the lawsuit, JUNTA and ULA call for the federal court to step in and order ICE to hand over the information.

ICE spokesman Michael Keegan declined comment on the suit, saying only "ICE's policy is not to comment on pending litigation or the review process of a FOIA request."

ID Plan Attacks Continue

Meanwhile, anti-illegal immigrant activist Paul Streitz Friday called for the state to take illegal immigration into its own hands.

Undocumented immigrants charged with a felony should be held without bail until deportation, suggested Streitz -- click here to read his letter to the governor and state legislators.

Streitz' letter also included this New Haven reference: "Inducing any illegal alien to enter, reside or work in the United States--ID Cards for illegal aliens and creation of pick-up zones for illegal workers will be deemed such an inducement--shall be a felony in the State of Connecticut."
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/arch ... _group.php

If they get to sue because enforcing the law 'disrupts their stability', then we certainly should be able to sue because NOT enforcing the law disrupts our stability.

Where are the lawyers???????

you go nntrixie.... like your thinking.....i want to feel protected by my state and Fed govt....and Nevada is not protecting me....I am a citizen and that is why....only the Illegals have rights...

Let me get this right a group calling itself "JUNTA" is suing the United States Government about illegal alien rights? Maybe this "JUNTA" should concern itself with why these people want to leave their own countries so badly, maybe its the "JUNTA" in these countries?

It's Orwell's 1984, how else can criminals actually sue the Police for having the gall to enforce the law?