Army veteran sues federal government after ICE detains him for three days | California
An Army veteran who was detained by federal immigration officials in southern California while commuting to work in July has filed a lawsuit against the federal government.
according to caseIn the lawsuit filed Wednesday with the help of the nonprofit law firm Institute for Justice, George Retes was held in a detention center for three days without access to his family, an attorney, or any information about the charges against him; The case claimed that there was an unconstitutional detention.
Retes, a 26-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested on July 10 on his way to work as a security guard at a farm in Ventura County when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers raided it. After Retes tried to explain to the agents blocking the road that he needed to pass to get to work, the agents broke his car window, removed him from the vehicle, and detained Retes without checking his identification. He was later held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles without a clear explanation for his detention.
Andrew Wimer, director of media relations at the Institute for Justice, told the Guardian: “George’s rights were violated and he is bringing this case not only to protect his own rights, but also to protect the rights of others.” “What happened to George is clearly wrong. No one can be detained for three days without being told what they did wrong, without being accused of a crime. Americans deserve justice when their rights are violated.”
One column For the San Francisco Chronicle, Retes said she missed her daughter’s third birthday party. “Then I was released without any charges, without any explanation as to why, and without any apology,” he added.
The lawsuit was filed against the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. government, which oversees the detention center where Retes was held, ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Navy, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Current legislation allows individuals to sue state and local officials if those officials violate their constitutional rights. When it comes to federal officials, the process of filing lawsuits against them is becoming increasingly difficult. In recent years, the Supreme Court has narrowed the window within which lawsuits can be filed against federal agents.
“We fully expect that this government will claim various immunities and try to drop the case before it actually starts,” Wimer said. “These cases present a lot of challenges, we know what we are up against and it could be a fight that takes years, but as we are a public interest law firm that will not charge George, it is a fight we can take on.”
Retes’ case adds to growing concern about the detention of U.S. veterans by federal agents. As the Trump administration steps up its crackdown on immigrants in Minnesota, an army veteran was arrested while protesting a service at a church in St. Paul. Mother Jones reported. In October, the Guardian identified eight cases in which military veterans were prosecuted or sought compensation after being detained by federal agents.
The Guardian has reached out to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment.
