WFMOJALI: New Haven's John DeStefano to file complaint over ICE raid

The fourth edition of WFMOJALI ("Working for Mexico, or just acts like it?") features New Haven, Connecticut mayor John DeStefano, who's affiliated with the former leader of an organization that's collaborating with the Mexican government. ICE recently conducted raids in that city, and now DeStefano says he'll file a complaint with the DHS (Department of Homeland Security):

He said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents failed to notify local authorities of the operation and lacked search warrants. "They pushed into homes without warrants," DeStefano said. "This was just very aggressive intervention." The city plans to forward witness statements to federal officials describing how parents were arrested in front of their children. Agents refused to identify themselves and told those in the houses to shut up, according to the statements... "I just can't see how you can't view them as frightening in terms of respecting the rights of people, whether they're documented or undocumented," DeStefano said. DeStefano... also said the operation raised concerns of racial profiling. Most of those arrested were Hispanic...

After other raids, both Deval Patrick and Tom Vilsack said they hadn't received proper notification; both claims were since debunked. No doubt that will be the same in this case:

Bruce Chadbourne, field office director for ICE, said officers had permission to enter the homes from those present and acted professionally. He said the agency did notify New Haven police weeks before the operation about executing warrants and denied engaging in racial profiling.

Others involved: Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joe Lieberman and state Rep. Rosa DeLauro want "clarification". And:

"You can't use an arrest warrant to go into a home to arrest whoever happens to be there," [Michael Wishnie, a Yale law professor who is representing most of those arrested] said. "They lacked consent and the lacked a search warrant. These home invasions were unlawful."

Previously:
"Smiley" Jeff Flake, WFMOJALI Luis Gutierrez promote their amnesty
WFMOJALI: Gil Cedillo wants driver's licenses for illegal aliens, again and againWFMOJALI: Kyrsten Sinema (Minutemen as "domestic terrorists")

Immigration2007a · Tue, 06/12/2007 - 13:25 · · Importance: 4