Are You an American Who Was Unlawfully Assaulted and Detained By ICE?
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been identifying and arresting illegal foreign nationals and then removing them from the United States. While ICE insists that the priority is on finding criminal aliens who may pose the highest level of danger to the public, other people are unfairly getting caught up in enforcement actions.
California Man and U.S. Citizen Sues ICE for Unlawful Arrest
Brian Bukle, born in the British Virgin Islands, became a U.S. citizen after his parents became naturalized U.S. citizens. Buckle, 61, was arrested by ICE and detained for 36 days in the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility in Bakersfield, CA. With the help of the ACLU of Northern California and the Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Buckle filed a lawsuit against ICE. Buckle became a U.S. citizen at the age of 9.
Buckle insists that the whole ordeal was so distressing he has not been able to overcome the trauma he endured. For instance, he said he has issues sleeping and often has nightmares.
His lawsuit against ICE includes assessing damages for the following:
- Arrest and imprisonment
- Malicious prosecution
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Negligence
Potential Deficiencies in ICE Training
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently explained that ICE does not know how many times U.S. citizens were unlawfully targeted and harassed by agents. This issue highlights the need for ICE officials to receive better training on how to more accurately assess the citizenship of individuals they arrest.
To compound this serious problem, consider that the GAO indicated in a report that from 2015 through 2020:
- There were 674 potential U.S. citizens arrested
- There were 121 potential citizens detained
- There were 70 potential U.S. citizens deported.
No Slow Down To ICE Raids and Enforcement Actions
Despite instances where American citizens are being hassled and unfairly treated by ICE agents who may not have sufficient instruction or resources in place to vet citizenship, raids and enforcement actions do not appear to be easing up any time soon. In fact, it is quite the opposite situation. The federal government is imploring states and local governments to work together with ICE and double down on efforts to round people up and deport them.
If an ICE agent harmed you as a U.S. citizen, then you should know ICE can face legal penalties for acting outside of the law and violating the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. Contact a civil rights attorney at Monaco Law PC to learn more today.
Speak to a New Jersey and Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorney Today
For more information on what to do and if you can file a civil claim for compensation, please call our wrongful death and personal injury lawyer at Monaco Law PC at (609) 277-3166 for our New Jersey office and (215) 546-3166 for our Pennsylvania office to discuss your case today.
We are a New Jersey and Pennsylvania personal injury law firm serving Atlantic County, Bucks County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Chester County, Cumberland County, Delaware County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, Ocean County, Salem County, Susquehanna County and all of New Jersey.
Source:
ice.gov/news/releases/ice-newark-law-enforcement-partners-arrest-illegal-alien-new-jersey-extensive
