Legal News

ACLU sues federal government and L.A. County for deporting U.S. citizen to Mexico

By Jason Siegel

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing federal government and Los Angeles County for wrongfully deporting a Latino U.S. citizen to Mexico (LISTEN).

Peter Guzman, a developmentally disabled 30 year old born in L.A., was arrested for trespassing last March. Near the end of his 120 day sentence, it was determined that he was not in the country legally based on his perceived race despite sheriff's records showing him to be a U.S. citizen, Guzman's attorney told KPBS news.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Guzman repeatedly claimed he was a Mexican citizen, and living in the U.S. without legal authorization.

Guzman was arrived in Tijuana with $3. His family found him after a three month search. He'd been eating from dumpsters, bathing in rivers and being turned away at the U.S.-Mexico border, his family told the Associated Press.

The lawsuit seeks damages, alleging that this constitutional rights were violated.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on February 28, 2008 (boomark / email).