A lawsuit filed Tuesday says federal agents terrorized a family originally from Mexico living in Heber City last year.
The ACLU of Utah says ICE agents and US Marshals twice raided the home with assault rifles and a battering ram, without a warrant, taking into custody a woman while her four grandchildren were put outside in the cold.
“This is not normal, this is not lawful, this is not right,” said Brittney Nystrom, the executive director of the ACLU of Utah.
Nystrom says anyone living in the US is protected by the 4th Amendment to the Constitution against this sort of thing.
Special counsel Starling Marshall says the officers and agents lacked probable cause.
“What the family wants to do with this lawsuit, is to try to ensure that this will not happen to other families, and especially to other children,” she said.
The grandmother is undergoing deportation proceedings now, although the attorneys say she had no other criminal offense.
We got this statement:
As a matter of policy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not comment on pending litigation. However, lack of comment should not be construed as agreement with or stipulation to any of the allegations. As part of the Department of Homeland Security’s homeland security mission, our trained law enforcement professionals adhere to the Department’s mission and values, and uphold our laws while continuing to provide the nation with safety and security.
