Friday, December 28, 2007

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Accused of Profiling in Lawsuit


Man legally in U.S. who was detained is fighting crackdown

PHOENIX (By Judi Villa, Arizona Republic) December 13, 2007 — A Mexican citizen who is legally in the United States has filed the first lawsuit challenging Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's aggressive immigration-enforcement efforts, saying he was unlawfully detained and the Sheriff's Office is engaged in illegal racial-profiling.
The suit seeks, among other things, a declaratory judgment Arpaio's actions are unconstitutional, injunctions prohibiting the use of Arpaio's anti-immigration hotline and directing the Sheriff's Office to disband its Undocumented Immigration Interdiction unit.

"Our investigations show the Sheriff's Office has routinely exceeded their authority and shown a blatant disregard for the civil rights of individuals in Maricopa County," said Lou Moffa, a lead attorney in the case. "With this suit, we hope to demonstrate no matter how politically popular an issue is, the Sheriff's Office does not have the right to trounce haphazardly over an individual's rights."

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court, outlines several instances where Arpaio and sheriff's deputies are accused of overstepping their authority to conduct "immigration raids," targeting people solely based on race and detaining individuals who are undocumented in the country. Although only one plaintiff is identified, the lawsuit is a class-action suit filed on behalf of "all others similarly situated."

Arpaio on Wednesday called the lawsuit "frivolous" and said it is an attempt to intimidate him before his office begins enforcing the employer-sanctions law on Jan. 1.

The state law threatens suspension and revocation of business licenses if an employer is found to have knowingly hired an undocumented worker. Moffa also has challenged that law in court.

The lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office contends crackdowns in Cave Creek and Queen Creek and outside a Phoenix furniture store establish a pattern of "racial-profiling and abuse of authority."

It also says a Hispanic man who is a U.S. citizen was illegally detained this month when he was walking on a sidewalk.

But it hinges on what happened to the identified plaintiff, Manuel de Jesus Ortega Melendres, when he was in a vehicle driven by a White man who was stopped by deputies on Sept. 26 in Cave Creek.

The lawsuit says the deputy told the driver he was being stopped for speeding but did not issue a citation.

Ortega, a retired teacher, then was asked to produce identification.

Ortega said he legally entered the United States on Sept. 6 and produced a U.S. visa, his Mexican federal voter-registration card and a copy of a permit from the Department of Homeland Security with a stamp showing his admission to the United States was valid through Nov. 1.

The lawsuit claims Ortega was detained for about eight hours before an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent verified his documents and set him free.

"To me, it appears there's racial-profiling going on," Moffa said. "That's what we want to stop. It is not enough to stop somebody because they look Hispanic or they don't speak English. People have rights."

But sheriff's Capt. Paul Chagolla said Ortega was "detained and transported appropriately" after he made statements about seeking employment when he was in the country with a visitor's visa that didn't allow him to work.

"There is no racial-profiling," Arpaio said. "I don't go around the street corner grabbing 10 people because they look like they're from Mexico."

The Sheriff's Office has been enforcing federal immigration laws since March 2006.

Arpaio's get-tough campaign against undocumented immigrants has targeted not only smugglers and violent criminals but also migrants who pay to be brought into the U.S. illegally and illegal day laborers.

About 160 deputies and jail officers have been specially trained to enforce federal immigration laws. Since 2006, ICE-trained deputies have arrested or deported more than 1,200 people.

And in July, Arpaio launched a controversial hotline to let the public report undocumented immigrants or smuggling activity.

Arpaio said his deputies have not overstepped their authority and have the power to enforce immigration violations if they encounter a person "in the course of their duties."

That would include traffic stops like the one involving Ortega.

"We're going to keep doing our job," Arpaio said. "We're going to keep arresting illegal immigrants."

Source: Hispanic.cc

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pendejo!

Anonymous said...

Screw you and your illegal buddies. The American People RULE!

Anonymous said...

Sheriff Joe Arpaio,
It does sound like you are pulling people who look Mexican off the streets from your past dealings. What a bigshot you are bullying passive people! Mexicans are not the immigrants in this country! but seem to be the scapegoats for all the bad that's happening in this country.How many terrorists are coming out of Mexico?
Whats next change all the spanish named cities in the U.S.? (Pre-anglo occupied)! or go after Baja California? Yes in Mexico!
What happened to your (oath) duty to protect the people, or is that only to people of non-color!
How hateful you looked (Sheriff Arpaio) with your finger pointing toward the latin lady, who obviously held in her emotions while you were verbally thrashing her(seen in the newsclip on MSNBC). Passiveness seems to be a downfall, as it was for the Native Americans and people of African decent in the time of slavery, who were then dominated by Post British Anglos, who were escaping there own persecutions.

Anonymous said...

[url=http://firgonbares.net/][img]http://firgonbares.net/img-add/euro2.jpg[/img][/url]
[b]second hand adobe software, [url=http://firgonbares.net/]discount software store[/url]
[url=http://firgonbares.net/][/url] oem software version purchase music software
shop savvy software [url=http://firgonbares.net/]softwares prices[/url] kaspersky security
[url=http://firgonbares.net/]buy software programs[/url] autocad 3d tutorials
[url=http://firgonbares.net/]software discount price[/url] selling software over the
Office 2004 Mac [url=http://firgonbares.net/]its software store[/b]

Anonymous said...

A strange hopelessness threatened underneath the pleasant thrum of release, but he fought it off. She simply occupied a part of his brain, and now Radin was there as well. Is the casting of this spell anything like the one that changes women to raedjour? Nialdlye shook her head. His hands were comforting weights on her shoulders, helping her to ground. Her current position didnt allow her to see Nialdlye, Brevin, Lanthan, or Tykir. I dont think theres any hurry to start. She, too, was watching, her cheek resting on the top of his head. Eyrhaen stared at the closed door, hands fisted at her sides. Thank you for all youve done for me. Big fingers cupped her chin, tilted her face up. At first she didnt understand, but then there was Brevins flinch. Does this mean you forgive me? No more prompting was necessary. Then, when she started babbling, begging for more, he picked up speed. I can live with that. He shook his head, stepping farther into the room. A page had been called to provide service for a hasty nineday. His chuckle burst a bubble of dread in her chest. She nipped at his ear as he carried her through her bedroom door.

Anonymous said...

Savous dearly wished to believe that Hyle was enjoyably distracted now, but he knew better. Everyone they passed watched carefully, knowing that something of great importance occurred this very moment. Their corner of the garden, right under the balcony of Nialdlyes suite, was relatively quiet. Eyrhaen sipped her wine and decided that, tonight, she would be in a good mood. But she wasnt lashing out.
[url=http://blacky.0fees.net]black shot[/url]

Anonymous said...

nanashi cowgirl hentai

Anonymous said...

get cheap [URL=http://cleveland-browns-jersey.net/colt-mccoy-limited-black-game-jerseywhite-elite-men-jerseyred-youth-women-jersey/]colt mccoy red jersey[/URL] online uGwQRPGw [URL=http://cleveland-browns-jersey.net/colt-mccoy-limited-black-game-jerseywhite-elite-men-jerseyred-youth-women-jersey/ ] http://cleveland-browns-jersey.net/joe-haden-limited-black-game-jerseywhite-elite-men-jerseyred-youth-women-jersey/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

We are a group οf volunteers аnd ѕtarting a new ѕchemе іn ouг community.
Υour ωeb site ρrovided us wіth vаluable іnformation to work on.
You've done an impressive job and our entire community will be thankful to you.

my page: payday loans

Anonymous said...

It's amazing to visit this website and reading the views of all mates on the topic of this paragraph, while I am also zealous of getting experience.

My blog: payday loans
Also see my web page > payday loans

Anonymous said...

I am sure you will love HecgcQUx [URL=http://www.christianlouboutin--outlet.tumblr.com/]christian louboutin cheap[/URL] for more detail fxnsNAGb [URL=http://www.christianlouboutin--outlet.tumblr.com/ ] http://www.christianlouboutin--outlet.tumblr.com/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

get cheap gOhFsGuJ [URL=http://www.christianlouboutin--outlet.tumblr.com/]christian louboutin outlet online[/URL] for less TtMcTzpp [URL=http://www.christianlouboutin--outlet.tumblr.com/ ] http://www.christianlouboutin--outlet.tumblr.com/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

It's an amazing article in favor of all the online visitors; they will take benefit from it I am sure.

Look into my blog; payday loans

Anonymous said...

You should be a part of a contest for one of the most useful sites on
the net. I most certainly will highly recommend
this web site!

Here is my homepage - cheap health insurance quotes