Santa Fe Immigration Sweep Prompts ACLU Investigation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 19, 2007 CONTACT: Whitney Potter (505) 266 5915 ext. 1003 Cell (505) 507 9898 ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Questions surrounding recent immigration sweeps in Santa Fe motivated the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico to request all records surrounding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in New Mexico.  A February 28th story in the Santa Fe New Mexican indicated that ICE may have entered immigrant homes illegally. Immigrant rights groups received complaints about racial profiling, local police involvement in ICE operations, and constitutional violations. “In its zeal to hunt down people who were living and working in Santa Fe,” ACLU Executive Director Peter Simonson said, “ICE may have over stepped the bounds of law and good judgment.  The FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request that we are submitting today will help us understand how the raids were organized and what safeguards were put in place to ensure that civil rights were respected.  Once we have that information in hand, we can determine whether or not our further action is warranted.” The Santa Fe sweeps appear to have been part of a nationwide strategy dubbed “Operation Return to Sender” that produced raids and raised alarm in other cities around the country.  Last week the ACLU of Northern California sought records from ICE after abusive practices in San Francisco and nearby areas were reported extensively in the press, including illegal entries, conducting round-ups near schools, and leaving minor children unattended upon parents’ arrest. Simonson said, “Nationwide, the ICE raids exhibit a pattern of recklessness and disregard, not just for basic civil rights, but also for the fundamental welfare of families that are broken apart by these operations.  The ACLU isn’t disputing whether or not ICE can enforce immigration laws, we just want to make sure that they are doing it in a fair and humane way.” The ACLU is requesting expedited processing of the FOIA request in order to head off possible civil rights problems in future raids. ###