Thread: Md - Immigrants sue over arrests at Baltimore 7-Eleven

Immigrants sue over arrests at Baltimore 7-Eleven
By Luke Broadwater
Examiner Staff Writer 1/29/09

Outraged over Homeland Security raids arresting immigrants, CASA de Maryland has filed a lawsuit demanding the federal government turn over documents about the arrests.
"We are living in contradictory times," Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA de Maryland, said in a statement. "On one hand, you have the first president of African descent in the world outside Africa, but on the other hand, you have the federal government engaging in racial profiling."

At issue are two police actions: a Jan. 23, 2007, immigration raid in the parking lot of a Baltimore 7-Eleven and a June 30 raid on the office of Annapolis Painting Services and 17 homes nearby.

CASA de Maryland alleges the raids resulted in "grave violations of the Fourth and Fifth amendments."

In the Baltimore raid, 24 Hispanic men were arrested while other people of different ethnicities walked by without being disturbed or asked questions by immigration agents, the lawsuit alleges.

"Many members of our communities know what it means to be considered suspicious just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and having dark skin," said Marvin L. "Doc" Cheatham, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Baltimore City branch. "Generations of Americans know the meaning of racial profiling. It has to stop now. Having been victims ourselves, African Americans cannot be silent."

CASA de Maryland's lawsuit seeks all documents related to the raids, including the results of an internal investigation into the legality of the agents' actions.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has released a document to the organization that says "some of the circumstances surrounding the presence of the officers at the 7-Eleven have come into question" but then blacks out the next page and a half. The lawsuit seeks the entire document in its original version.

The lawsuit alleges ICE agents initially pretended to be employers seeking to hire day laborers at the 7-Eleven, but then detained all Hispanics in the parking lot, while ignoring white and black day laborers who were also present. After arresting 24 day laborers, the ICE agents arrested other Hispanics, who were blocks from the 7-Eleven, the lawsuit says.

ICE did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com

http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/012909casa.html

I think CASA de Maryland needs to be investigated and brought up on charges. They are the same group that distributes this little "how to get away with it" pamphlet:

http://www.casademaryland.org/docs-pdfs ... nglish.pdf

cayla99 said



"I think CASA de Maryland needs to be investigated and brought up on charges. They are the same group that distributes this little "how to get away with it" pamphlet":


I checked out their site , it is in english ...

Originally Posted by FedUpinFarmersBranch

cayla99 said



"I think CASA de Maryland needs to be investigated and brought up on charges. They are the same group that distributes this little "how to get away with it" pamphlet":


I checked out their site , it is in english ...

Yes, and they are teaching illegals how to get out of being deported by telling them it is ok to break laws about identifying yourself to a police officer among other things.

duplicate post please reply at

http://www.alipac.us/ftopic-144447-0.html