On May 11, a rancher in Hudspeth County shot two men, a father and son, whom he alleges were trespassing. The victims explained they took a wrong turn onto a dirt road when they were confronted by the rancher, who, without warning, started shooting in to their vehicle. The victims also say they were unarmed. We recognize facts are still coming to light, and as such, call for a thorough investigation into the events of that day. For now, it is impossible not to wonder whether this incident is a consequence of the increasingly charged atmosphere created by exaggerated and irresponsible descriptions of border violence by elected officials at every level of government.
In fact, Hudspeth County’s Sheriff Arvin West has not been shy about promoting sensationalized messages. At a town hall meeting in April, Sheriff West called on residents to “arm themselves,” because it is “better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.” Sheriff West has long perpetuated an irresponsible myth about rampant spillover violence on the border, even though crime statistics prove otherwise.  In 2006, West told a Congressional panel that it wouldn’t be long before drug cartels planted explosives on their drug loads to guard against seizure by law enforcement.  He also told lawmakers that he was concerned that terrorists from the Middle East are working with drug cartels to kill U.S. law enforcement officials. Sheriff West never substantiated any of these wild accusations, nor have we seen any of his dire predictions come true.
The facts tell a very different story. In the past four years, marijuana seizures have fallen 97 percent in Hudspeth County, and according to the most recent FBI crime statistics report, the number of crimes has been cut in half from 48 to 24 over the same period. Nor is Hudspeth County an anomaly. The FBI reports that over the past two decades violent crime has dropped 30 percent in border counties, ranking them among the safest in the nation. Yet, just last month, Sheriff West appeared on Fox News, falsely claiming that the situation “hasn’t improved in the past four years.”
At this point, it’s not clear that Sheriff West’s fear-mongering actually inspired the May 11 shootings, but this incident should serve as a reminder of the real risks involved in politicizing the issue of border enforcement. Human and drug trafficking are serious problems and they demand to be addressed in a serious and honest manner. To accomplish this, we need to look to our own best natures, not turn against one another in fits of paranoia and distrust.
Thus, we call on Sheriff West to be more responsible and honest in his characterization of the border region, so as not to create a charged atmosphere in which residents shoot first and ask questions later. Our country is a nation of laws, and we should never allow vigilantes to mete out justice at the end of a gun barrel.
We also call on the media and public officials not to perpetuate harmful myths and made-up horror stories about the border region. In reality, despite the drug-related violence that plagues our Southern neighbors, El Paso and the surrounding communities are among the safest in the country. The border is our home, and we must hold people accountable when they don’t tell the truth about it.
Tania M. Chozet, an El Paso native and current resident, is the policy advocate for the ACLU of New Mexico Regional Center for Border Rights.
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ESPAÑOLA, NM – Today, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico filed charges with the New Mexico Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Española Hospital and Presbyterian Health Services for fostering a work environment rife with religious discrimination and failing to take reasonable measures to rectify the situation. Plaintiff Sahaj Khalsa, an adherent to the Sikh religion, alleges that while employed as a paramedic at Española Hospital, coworkers and hospital administration actively discriminated against Khalsa because of his religion, making disparaging remarks, threats and, in one incident, physically assaulting him.

He further alleges that hospital human resources staff made no meaningful attempt to curtail this religiously motivated harassment.

“Religious tolerance and accommodation are core American values,” said ACLU of New Mexico Managing Attorney Laura Schauer Ives. “Discriminating against an employee because of his or her faith is not just illegal; it’s wrong. It goes against everything we stand for as Americans.”

Sahaj Khalsa is a practicing Sikh, was born into the religion, and has maintained all of the tenets of the faith since birth. One of the tenets of Sikhism is maintaining uncut beards and hair, which is tied up in a turban.

Khalsa was employed by Presbyterian Health Services (PHS) as a Paramedic and Field Operations Supervisor for nine years from 2001 to 2010. During this time, Khalsa maintained an exemplary work record and provided excellent care to people in need. However, beginning in 2008 the working environment at Española Hospital became progressively hostile to Khalsa and other observant Sikh employees.

When Khalsa reported this discrimination to the hospital human resource office, they acknowledged the hostile work environment, but failed to discipline those responsible. Instead, hospital administration targeted Mr. Khalsa by suddenly implemented a no-beards policy in retaliation for his complaints, telling Khalsa he must either shave or lose his job. Khalsa suggested a reasonable compromise, offering to wear a larger respirator that would cover his facial hair while he administered aid, but this accommodation was refused without justification.

Hospital administration continued this pattern of discrimination and retaliation until Khalsa was forced to the conclusion that PHS had no intention of making reasonable accommodations for his sincerely-held religious beliefs as required by law. He also concluded that PHS had no interest in truly addressing the toxic environment of workplace discrimination. Having exhausted every reasonable option, Khalsa was forced to resign in December 2010.

“All I wanted was do my job helping people in my community get the urgent medical care they needed,” said Khalsa. “My Sikh religion did not prevent me from performing that job, but the prejudice of my supervisors did.”

The ACLU of New Mexico is demanding that Española Hospital and Presbyterian Health Services compensate the plaintiff for lost wages and emotional stress caused by the extraordinary religious discrimination he suffered at their hands.

Read Sahaj Khalsa's full affidavit: Sahaj EEOC affidavit

CONTACT: Micah McCoy, (505) 266-5915 Ext. 1003 or [email protected]

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