ACLU Threatens to Sue Obama Admin. Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Conditions for Immigrant Detainees at Ariz. Jail
- Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:24pm by
Jason Howerton
- Print »
- Email »
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is threatening to sue the federal government over jail conditions for immigrant detainees at the Pinal County Jail in Florence, Ariz., calling them “unconstitutional.”
The Maricopa Monitor reports that the ACLU of Arizona sent a letter last week to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Department of Homeland Security officials that threatened litigation.
Victoria Lopez, program director of ACLU in Arizona. (Source: acluaz.org)
Victoria Lopez, program director for the ACLU of Arizona, said the complaint about the conditions specifically applies to a separate wing of the facility that has 625 beds set aside for immigrants detained by ICE. The group says those detainees have no access to outdoor exercise, no face-to-face contact with loved ones, and an unsanitary environment.
“The ACLU has been looking at the conditions of the jail for a number of years now, and our office regularly receives complaints from immigrants that are held in that jail,” Lopez told the Monitor.
The ACLU’s letter reportedly refers to several specific complaints such as food served on dirty trays, food served with worms, verbal abuse from guards and limited availability of hygiene items. Lopez argues that the detainees have not been formally charged with a crime as they are awaiting a hearing where a judge will determine whether or not they will be deported.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office runs the jail. Sheriff Paul Babeu in a statement Friday said the union is dead wrong in its assessment.
“We have the best run adult detention center in Arizona, as evidenced by being the first in the state to receive a national accreditation and only the second in the nation,” he said in the release. “We also obtained the national accreditation with a perfect score when evaluated on 594 legal-based guidelines.”
But that wasn’t enough to satisfy Lopez and the ACLU.
“Those audits do not necessarily mean those jails are meeting constitutional standards,” she said.
Lopez went on to say that illegal immigrant detainees were forced to suffer through “regular lockdowns” where cells were searched. They were also “yelled at” and “just treated in a very abusive manner.”
More from the Maricopa Monitor:
In May 2011, ICE sent a letter to the ACLU that countered some of the complaints the ACLU made in a letter to ICE in March 2011. The ICE letter said the jail had undergone two independent reviews since the beginning of 2011. In one of those reviews, conducted by ICE’s Office of Detention Oversight in January 2011, it said 20 randomly-selected detainees were interviewed about the conditions.
“The ODO found that the detainees expressed no concerns that would indicate [the jail] was not in compliance with ICE’s National Detention Standards,” the letter stated.
The letter also described a second review conducted just two weeks later by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; it claims both reviews came to the same conclusion — the Pinal County Jail meets or exceeds ICE National Detention Standards.
The ACLU does not appear to agree with those assessments of the jail.
The letter sent to the federal government Tuesday claims much of its observations are based upon a visit to the jail on March 7 of this year by ACLU representatives, along with extensive meetings with ACLU legal staff and detainees at the jail for the past three years.
Lopez said some of the statements by detention officers were, “What do you expect, this is Pinal County” and “You should just go back to your country” in addition to other abusive language. She added it was “particularly disturbing” to hear jail staff say the immigrants were treated exactly the same as the county inmates.
“Failure to remedy these legal violations — whether by promptly removing all immigration detainees from [the jail] or by dramatically overhauling conditions of confinement at the facility — would constitute an open invitation to bring suit,” the letter states.
The ACLU says civil detainees are supposed to be given better treatment than prisoners in accordance with federal government policy.
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu (Source: pinalcountyaz.gov)
However, Babeu doesn‘t appear to be in any rush to comply with the ACLU’s repeated demands, in fact, he sounds like he may battle the group if it comes down to it. The sheriff took to Facebook and made his feelings on the matter known.
“Often times, the ACLU files lawsuits everywhere they can in hopes of (a) huge financial settlement/windfall to pay their staff and advance their extreme agenda,” he said. “Instead of adding value in our world, they file lawsuits and attack those that make a difference in America. The ACLU is part of the problem in America,” Babeu wrote on his Facebook page.
“The ACLU loves to attack the great work our staff does to keep our Pinal families safe,” he also posted.
Babeu maintains that the jail employs talented staff members and provides a safe and sanitary environment for detainees.
The ACLU’s feud with Babeu and the Pinal County Jail goes back to 2011 when the organization released a series of scathing reports on the conditions in the immigration detention centers in Pinal County – they ranked Babeu’s jail the worst.
In response, the Pinal County Jail invited KSAZ in Phoenix to tour the facility. The conditions certainly didn‘t line up with the ACLU’s claims, at least according to the video that was captured. Watch the report here:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Popular Stories
MSNBC Host Snaps in Heated Segment: ‘What in the World Is Riskier Than Being a Poor Person in America?’ 680 Comments
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 639 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 523 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 360 Comments
Have You Seen the Giant ‘Sand Obama’ Sculpture in Charlotte? 312 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 144 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 186 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 146 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Scathing New Ad Capitalizes on Rep. Ryan‘s ’Fading Obama Posters’ Remark 124 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 144 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (69)
mecanic
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:18pmI don’t believe they have constitutional rights, as they are here illegally. We still have law rite? Do we need king obuumers permission to enforce it?
Report Post »smokeysmoke
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:04pm“if they come here with out peeeerrrrmissssssonnnssss…. then we send back them…..” MEXICAN PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON.
why dont we just listen and do what mexico does with their illegal tresspassers
Report Post »smokeysmoke
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 3:09pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRoNOnvMBpI weird the same time felipe calderon was saying arizonas law was racist, he stated that the policy of mexico twords illegals is stronger that SB 1070…. THEY JUST DEPORT YOU… WHY ARE WE HAVING THE ARGUEMENT OF SHOULD ILLEGALS BE GIVIEN RIGHTS…. WE SEND BACK THEM… thats good advice
Report Post »MadinIllinois
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 5:06pmTHE ACLU – IS THE PROBLEM and needs to be abolished as it no longer – represents or serves – the best interests of the American public. IF you CROSS THE BORDER into Mexico – their legislation and laws plainly state that YOU will be HUNTED down, convicted and jailed!
Report Post »antiprogressive
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:33amyep,
Report Post »The ACLU and progressives in general want convicts/criminals to have more rights than the victims.
Just one of MANY things they are screwing up.
Libertarian
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:12amI think it is ironic that most of our Legislative Branch sits by as this president tramples the constitution.
Here is why they sit by and allow it, because Republicans that call themselves conservatives have violated the constitution so many times they cannot use the constitution as an argument. It is sad.
Vote only for individuals who want to uphold the constitution at EVERY corner, not selectively!
Report Post »goldmankc
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 5:24amsimple solution is stay the f(&K out of america illegally
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:18pmI never see any blacks hanging out with Russian or Chinese big wigs. Has anyone else? Russians and Chinese despise blacks. America is the only nation who has tried to make room for others and they who are users and greedy want to throw it back in our faces and turn this country into warring tribes. We have and will stand by our Constitution, so if you do not like it, move your azz to some country that has the same mind set. We will keep those of any race who are willing to be here legally, work, sacrifice and get an education on their own like the rest of us. If you cannot do that. We are going on strike for we are not longer going to support your efforts to leech off of the rest of us. It will come to that. White people owe noone but God, their families and country our loyalty. If you are not for this country and her Constitution, then stand back out of our space for you are getting nothing but the trouble you are asking for. We owe you Nothing and that is what you will get.
Report Post »tcseacliff
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 6:54pmthere is something fundamentally wrong with the ACLU. they have went from protecting rights to stomping on rights. they are now useless and counter productive to finding solutions. how can we put this in another way, Oh, **** THE ACLU ! who is paying them anyway? I would like to know. they seem to be a waste of money ,like acorn, and Van Jones. get rid of them!
Report Post »wzanesdad
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 7:07pmI agree…the ACLU has become an enemy of America. That’s why I support the ACLJ. I think the left is in total panic mode with these stupid arguments. They know the party is almost over.
Report Post »pudssweetie
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:13pmLopez said some of the statements by detention officers were, “What do you expect, this is Pinal County” and “You should just go back to your country” in addition to other abusive language. She added it was “particularly disturbing” to hear jail staff say the immigrants were treated exactly the same as the county inmate.
Report Post »With the last name Lopez, we can see who she sides with. Why should an ILLEGAL be treated any different from anyone else who is in jail for breaking the law? They are here ILLEGALLY and it is not abusive language to say to them to go back to their own Country, that is telling the truth. Maybe Ms. Lopez needs to learn the difference between LEGAL and ILLEGAL and learn the law on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
blackyb
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:11pmThe ACLU is realizing the “black” card and the “slave” card is running out of steam and people are ot falling for it. Latinos just do not like or trust blacks. They do not want to associated with these ACLU because they have never tried to help anyone but themselves to the fat of this land. Lations are overall workers and industrious and came from countries that are without opportunities. They, at least do appreciate opportunities they can tap into here. The blacks may as well beat their guns into plowshears and get their azz to work.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:08pmTell ACLU to go to hell. They are nothing. Latino’s are not going to associate with blacks, no matter how many carrots on a stick are in their face. They will Never mesh and smooze with blacks. Those nasty blacks who want numbers are trying to smooze the Latinos, and increase their numbers. The Latinos overall thinks more like white America and those hard working blacks who are educated and successful. This is not a color war, but a mind set war. The ACLU is desperate because they have realized that black is going out of style.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:05pmPut them on a boat and send their azz to China and see how it works over there. I never see blacks in China or Russia. There must be some, but I have never seen one lined up with the big wigs or in the Chinese armies. Now, why could that be. America has been a patsy long enough. We owe these people nothing. Why are these people not piling into these foreign nations they are trying to imitate socially? Because they do not want them. They will not let them in. They need to take their azzes home if they are not legal. We do not want nor can we support their azzes. We could not pile into their countries without properly applying and getting papers. Go your azzes home and do something for your own countries.
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:02pmlukerw – I agree with you!
Report Post »Inlightofthings
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:01pmEveryone should look up the ACLJ and and see the great work Jay and Jordan Sekulow are doing over there.
http://aclj.org/
We‘re all sick of the ACLU just like we’re sick of the left wing AARP, which has been claimed to be a socialist advocacy group. A growing counter to AARP is the Association for Mature American Citizens.
http://amac.us/
As conservatives, there are options growing and the push back on the socialists will impact their movement.
Report Post »theblazerunner
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:09pmnice information , thanks
Report Post »wzanesdad
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 7:00pmAnyone that is not familier with the ACLJ really needs to go check out this site. They are a great organization…and there is no question about where they stand on any issue. They have a link on there for all the senators and representatives contact info, and all the cases they are involved in. They are doing incredible work for the pro-life movement, ( my favorite), which is the reason I donate to them every month.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:01pmACLU needs to be in jail. These leeches do noting but cause the courts to be tied up with frivilous law suits. They do nothing but get publicity for themselves and drain public funds. They need to receive nothing from the American people.
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 6:02pmYeah, I totally agree that people standing up for our Constitutional rights need to be in jail!
Report Post »Carefreeflyer
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:36pmMore lies from the ACLU. Did we really expect anything else from them?
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 2:06pmWe do not have enough prisons in American. They are full so we early release prisoners after having spent how much money to put then in jail and wasted how much time and effort.
I suggest that we RE-DECORATE our prisons, get rid of the libraries, chapels, medical facilities, showers, clean sheets, gourmet meals, B ball courts, gyms etc and build them the old fashioned Russian Gulag, or the jails in any communist country. Since we‘re heading there with this dictator let’s get a head start. ……AND no prayer rugs
Report Post »Look4DBigPicture
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:36pmACLU is yet another organization tearing this country apart. I had forgotten who all contributes to this liberal group, and found this YouTube of Bill O’Reilly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJrxgGU-uQI
Surprised to see George Soros’ name on the list? ha!
Report Post »Yaya2
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:31pmThe ACLU represents the worst of what LAW means in our country. What a bunch of whining pantywaists these people are…the illegals get much better treatment here than in their own countries and I resent my tax money going to their upkeep as well as to the ACLU. Sra. Lopez really had to work hard to come up with her shallow complaints…no proper exercise space, can’t spend time with loved ones etc., etc….should have thought of that first!
Report Post »kuhl
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:19pmShip them to Guantonemo. They have excercise facilities, custom menus and 24×7 attendees…
Report Post »Look4DBigPicture
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:50pm… and coming soon to the Gitmo neighborhood … a soccer field for the terrorists’ enjoyment.
Report Post »GoodCook
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:13pmThe conditions in the jail are probably better then those they left.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:13pmI would bet… the Government is paying for the Law Suit against the Government!
Report Post »Look4DBigPicture
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:42pma la taxpayer dollars.
Report Post »Zipit
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 11:29pmNot American, no where close to civil, nothing to do with liberty! Just a union!!!
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:59pmJoe doesn’t coddle anyone in prison look it up pink uniforms that’s the problem jail is now supposed to be like a luxury home where they can be comfortable it’s supposed to be uncomfortable that’s part of the do you really want to be in jail thing get a grip. Hell these people get better treatment than most Americans get in their own home. Illegal’s get better everything than an American gets its pathetic and wrong in many ways.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:15pmGee I wonder what the conditions are in Mexican Prison or one in the middle east or asia? What do you call 5000 aclu lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.
Report Post »Look4DBigPicture
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:45pmThese prisons have better accommodations and receive more respect than our homeless veterans. Our society is upside down and shameful!
Support your vets!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:58pm“Those audits do not necessarily mean those jails are meeting constitutional standards, she said”.
She should start at the bottom of the “audit list” and work her way up. Why do illegals get top priority over other people?
Arizona should sue the ACLU for starting at the top.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:50pmWhat do you expect from an Obama supporter? They will use their jobs and/or power to ridicule anyone who opposes them.
Hey Victoria, how are illegal and/or legal Americans treated in Mexico and Mexican prisons?
Report Post »FstEti
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:46pm“The ACLU says civil detainees are supposed to be given better treatment than prisoners in accordance with federal government policy”.
Why?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:17pmUse the Byzantium Ploy: Deputize the Illegals and send them to the Border to arrest Illegals and Drug Carriers!
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:41pmACLU focus on the patriot act, NDAA, HR 347 and domestic drones, i don’t want America becoming the USSA.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:40pmThe ACLU is anti-American ,anti-Christian ,anti-anything good ,just,right or moral. I despise them.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:39pmGood . if they don’t like it maybe they will STAY in Mexico … SPEED UP DEPORTATION!
Report Post »Stu D. Baker-Hawk
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:36pmIn the United States of Me, subversive groups like the ACLU, which hide behind the law and twist it to their own perverse purposes, would be disbanded immediately, and by aggressive force if necessary.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:35pmThat jail is a paradise compared to any Mexican jail,and the ‘detainees.’ I refer to them as invaders are loving the conditions at that jail,three hots and a cot for all the illegals.
The answer is to mine the border heavily and shoot anyone crossing illegally,we‘re being invaded and it’s an act of war,shoot to kill and leave em stinking.The argument that they’re just coming here to work is BS,the few who do work send the money back to family in Mexico.
Jihidists and drug smugglers are also invading,start killing them as well and the illegals teeming across the border will cease.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:06pmI agree totally .. we need to DEFEND the border and ALL that means!
Report Post »randy
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:34pmHere’s an idea…..
Victoria Lopez, program director for the ACLU of Arizona, said the complaint about the conditions specifically applies to a separate wing of the facility that has 625 beds set aside for immigrants detained by ICE. The group says those detainees have no access to outdoor exercise, no face-to-face contact with loved ones, and an unsanitary environment.
SEND THEM BACK TO THE COUNTRY THEY CAME FROM!
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:40pmI totally agree……
Report Post »