CBP Officer Sues Homeland Security for Violating Rights

[MariaBonita 11]

http://www.kswt.com/global/story.asp?s=10114764

A Customs and Border Protection officer says the Department of Homeland Security violated his constitutional rights. Jim Slaughter and his wife Sheila were doing laundry last July when, they say, a group of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents showed up on their doorstep looking for a fugitive.

"My wife said is this candid camera and that kind of ticked him off a little bit and he says no mam you need to step back," says Jim. The couple claims they were ordered to stand in the middle of their living room as agents were about to search their home.

"I said do you realize i'm a U.S. Customs K-9 officer at San Luis, Arizona and they all just froze. The lead agent, his eyes got real big, and he's like what? You are?" In fact Jim has worked for CBP for seven years. He says the agents immediately retreated.

In March, Jim's attorney filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security citing a violation of the fourth ammendment for protection against unreasonable searches.

"You must have probable cause or a warrant to enter a home in America," explains attorney Robert Cook. "He had five armed cops and he understood and respected the firepower that was in his living room."

The Slaughters are seeking $500,000 from each defendant. The couple also claims the incident aggravated Sheila's hypertension.

"Here they invaded my home, think of this, my children weren't home. What if my husband hadn't of been home? What would they have done to me?" says Sheila.

Jim says he filed the suit because ICE officials have refused to explain or apologize for the mix-up. KSWT contacted local ICE spokesman Vincent Picard, but he said the agency cannot comment on current litigation. The Slaughters now believe those agents were looking for someone who lives on 26th Place but wound up at their home on 26th Street.

[pedroh 21]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

[MariaBonita 11]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

The problem is that they (ICE) get a lot of support from the so called "patriots".

[pedroh 21]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

The problem is that they (ICE) get a lot of support from the so called "patriots".

yea.. they'll get their support, until ICE messes with the 'patriots', then they will complain too..

[Niels Bohr 72]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

Nice! Great Job ICE! I love you ICE! Please come and invade my house too!

[MariaBonita 11]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

The problem is that they (ICE) get a lot of support from the so called "patriots".

yea.. they'll get their support, until ICE messes with the 'patriots', then they will complain too..

Oh come on Pedroh, ICE will never mess with them, legal immigrants, or any other US citizens. It's just the illegals ICE go after, don't you know?

<sarcasm off>

[jundp 191]

While I agree this is completely wrong, I have to wonder what purpose is served by suing each defendant for $500,000?

[pedroh 21]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

The problem is that they (ICE) get a lot of support from the so called "patriots".

yea.. they'll get their support, until ICE messes with the 'patriots', then they will complain too..

Oh come on Pedroh, ICE will never mess with them, legal immigrants, or any other US citizens. It's just the illegals ICE go after, don't you know?

<sarcasm off>

yea.. it's true, they use their super efficient method of 'oh, there's a bunch of hispanics here.. there must be some illegals around, let's raid their houses, and worry abut warrants later'

While I agree this is completely wrong, I have to wonder what purpose is served by suing each defendant for $500,000?

animal house quote: "we don't get mad, we get even"

and good, if the gov fukcs w me, I'd fukc w the government too, with money

[justashooter 430]

so he got some "professional courtesy"?

he should be happy he wasn't just a regular joe, and that they didn't handcuff him and his wife naked while his home was ransacked.

[Otto 83]

This is an all-to-common issue with law enforcement in general. We (all of us) give them too much authority.

[pedroh 21]

so he got some "professional courtesy"?

he should be happy he wasn't just a regular joe, and that they didn't handcuff him and his wife naked while his home was ransacked.

if u believe in the laws as much as u say u do, u should know that a warrant is needed to go inside a home.. does this means you are in favor of government abuse?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

The problem is that they (ICE) get a lot of support from the so called "patriots".

yea.. they'll get their support, until ICE messes with the 'patriots', then they will complain too..

Oh come on Pedroh, ICE will never mess with them, legal immigrants, or any other US citizens. It's just the illegals ICE go after, don't you know?

<sarcasm off>

<sarkiness back on>Of course, they don't mess with those who've legally immigrated or naturalised already--as these, due to having run ICE's gamut, already know counter-tactics<sarkiness off>

[fozzie 41]

so he got some "professional courtesy"?

he should be happy he wasn't just a regular joe, and that they didn't handcuff him and his wife naked while his home was ransacked.

then he'd be suing for a million from each defendant!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

I don't see anywhere in the article that states they didn't have a warrant.

I see something that suggests they were at the wrong address though.

[john & jean 37]

yup.. ICE believes violating civil rights is ok for the good of the country.. no warrants.. nothing..

I don't see anywhere in the article that states they didn't have a warrant.

I see something that suggests they were at the wrong address though.

if they were at the wrong address then they did not have a warrant!!!!