DOJ to Arpaio: the Feds are the only ones allowed to violate the civil rights of immigrants

Yesterday, Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez spoke at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) to announce that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had concluded their civil rights investigation of the office, finding that MCSO has engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing in violation of the 4th and 14th amendments, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Specifically, the DOJ found that:

1. MCSO engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing; specifically, MCSO engages in racial profiling of Latinos, and unlawfully stops, detains and arrests Latinos.
2. MCSO unlawfully retaliates against people who criticize its policies and practices.
3. MCSO operates its jails in a manner that discriminates against Latino inmates that are limited English proficient.   
4. MCSO routinely punishes Latino inmates that are limited English proficient when they fail to understand commands given in English, and denies critical services that are provided to other inmates.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Perez made no mention of the human rights violations that are occurring at the hands of the Obama administration.  

Specifically, he made no mention of the fact that:

1. Sexual abuse of immigrant detainees is widespread.
2. The federal government is not abiding by its commitments under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right.
3. ICE is not providing proper oversight of abuse in immigration detention facilities.
4. In some immigration detention facilities abuse of immigrants is systemic.
5. Border patrol abuse is widespread.
6. Latinos are being racially profiled for deportation, sometimes out of boredom.
7. There is evidence that both ICE and CBP approve of racial profiling.
8. Immigration agents have been accused of "aggressive and overzealous" tactics.
9. A substantial percentage of Immigrants are not being afforded their right to due process.
10. In the rush to meet the 400,000 deportations per year mandate, the administration is deporting United States citizens.

I think you get the point.

So the question becomes, who is going hold this administration accountable for the very abuses that they are rightfully condemning the MCSO for?

Hopefully it is the voters. 

Click here to read the DOJ press release.

Click here to watch a clip of the press conference.

Comments

[Jack]

Goes to show that singling out MCSO was politically motivated. Par for the course with this administration.