Thread: Worthington workers sue over tactics in immigration raid

Worthington workers sue over tactics in immigration raid

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/displa ... idlawsuit/
by Gregg Aamot, Associated Press
September 4, 2007
Minneapolis — (AP) - Ten Worthington residents who were working at a meatpacking plant in the southwestern Minnesota city when it was raided by immigration agents are suing the federal government over the alleged abusive and illegal tactics used by the agents, lawyers for the residents said Tuesday.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court here by Centro Legal, an immigrant rights group, claims agents hurled insults at the Hispanic workers, ordered female Hispanic workers to disrobe and "otherwise insulted, abused, and humiliated the plaintiffs on account of their race" during the Dec. 12 raid at the Swift & Co. plant.

"This is about upholding the basic constitutional rights and freedoms of Americans -- whether they are black, white or Latino."
- Gloria Contreras-Edin, Centro Legal"This is about upholding the basic constitutional rights and freedoms of Americans -- whether they are black, white or Latino," said Gloria Contreras-Edin, Centro Legal's executive director.

Tim Counts, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Tuesday that government lawyers hadn't reviewed the lawsuit. But he said agents did nothing wrong during the raid.

"The worksite enforcement operation at the Worthington plant was done lawfully and in full accordance with ICE policies and procedures," Counts said. "Each person encountered was treated with respect and has been given full access to due process under the laws."

The plaintiffs, who are either citizens, legal residents or living in the country under what is called temporary protected status, continue to live in Worthington and work at the plant, she said.

They were all working at the plant when it was raided as part of a government probe into identity theft. They claim they were detained and searched or interrogated without being advised of their constitutional rights, the lawsuit claims.

White workers, meanwhile, were allowed to move about the plant freely during the raid and weren't subject to unlawful conduct on the part of agents, according to the lawsuit.


Tim CountsAmong other things, agents are accused of using racial epithets and calling the plaintiffs "coyotes" -- smugglers who help people illegally cross the border. None of the plaintiffs were charged with a crime, Contreras-Edin said.

The raid was one of several at Swift & Co. plants in six states that led to the arrest of more than 1,200 Hispanic workers, including more than 200 in Worthington, a city of about 15,000 residents near the Iowa border.

Centro Legal has also filed a lawsuit on behalf of Hispanic residents in Willmar, who claim agents broke into their homes and illegally detained them during a sweep through Willmar in April. The group later added more than a dozen children to its list of plaintiffs in that case.

Many Hispanic immigrants in that west-central Minnesota community work at a poultry processor owned by Austin-based Hormel Foods Corp.

ICE has also claimed its agent acted properly in that raid, which led to the arrest of about 50 people. The agency has said several of the people arrested in Willmar falsely claimed to be Puerto Rican citizens while 18 had criminal convictions.

In this digital age, surely they will have video recordings to set the record straight.

Are these immigrants having flash backs of the way police would have treated them in their home countries ?

Their stories of DHS abuse remind me of a wild imagination tale of a 10 yr. old.

Yes surely DHS has this all on tape and if not they best start doing so.......

Originally Posted by USPatriot

Are these immigrants having flash backs of the way police would have treated them in their home countries ?

Their stories of DHS abuse remind me of a wild imagination tale of a 10 yr. old.

Yes surely DHS has this all on tape and if not they best start doing so.......

They are instructed by their handlers never to admit that they are breaking the law by being here illegally and having committed document fraud and ID theft. Instead, they throw out the "red herring" and claim abuse and racism. Therefore, it's the biting the hand that feeds you effect. Abuse and racism claims fires up the lib-idiots and bleeding hearts to their cause...open borders and anarchy.

What a load of crap and good luck sueing the federal government!!!


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Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

In this digital age, surely they will have video recordings to set the record straight.

Exactly. If they don't have anything to back up their claims. Throw the whole thing out. I am sick of the unfounded claims of racism. Now if there is any truth to anything, shame on the officials.

Originally Posted by zeezil

Originally Posted by USPatriot

Are these immigrants having flash backs of the way police would have treated them in their home countries ?

Their stories of DHS abuse remind me of a wild imagination tale of a 10 yr. old.

Yes surely DHS has this all on tape and if not they best start doing so.......

They are instructed by their handlers never to admit that they are breaking the law by being here illegally and having committed document fraud and ID theft. Instead, they throw out the "red herring" and claim abuse and racism. Therefore, it's the biting the hand that feeds you effect. Abuse and racism claims fires up the lib-idiots and bleeding hearts to their cause...open borders and anarchy.

Their lies are so outlandish how could anyone believe them ? We can only hope DHS does have it on tape and WILL tape every raid they do.That will stop this nonsense real fast and show what unbelievable liars these people are !

This is about upholding the basic constitutional rights and freedoms of Americans

And, since these clowns aren't Americans ... case dismissed.

What is wrong with our government!!! How in the world can illegal aliens have more benefits and support than Americans???

I didn't think we could sue the federal government?

Oh! Maybe illegals can but citizens can't.

Well, if citizens can why isn't someone sueing the feds for not enforcing their own laws????

You can tell exactly what the are after with this false suit. They are suing for $$ and for the court to ban RAIDS. It isn't going to happen and crying wolf will backfire and only encourage ICE.

Everyday they get a little more bold in their actions, makes you wonder what they will come up with next!