Appeals board wants judge to consider anti-Hispanic bias claim in immigrant's arrest

TRAVIS LOLLER

Associated Press

2:48 p.m. CDT, April 8, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Nashville man originally from Honduras is claiming deportation proceedings against him are invalid because the traffic stop that originally landed him in jail was motivated by anti-Hispanic bias.

A Memphis immigration judge initially dismissed Jose Quinteros' argument, but last week a panel of the federal Board of Immigration Appeals ordered the judge to reconsider.

According to court papers, the Metro Nashville officer said he pulled Quinteros over in 2007 for an expired registration. But Quinteros provided the court with proof that his registration was current.

The judge had ruled that it was irrelevant whether the traffic stop was legal. The board disagreed in its ruling, saying it was the traffic stop that led to Quinteros being questioned by immigration authorities.

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