Immigrants win lawsuit against Suffolk County in NY

A federal jury in Brooklyn ruled in favor of more than 600 immigrants illegally detained in 2017 by Suffolk County, New York, at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ordered the county and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office to pay them $112 million.

The immigrants were held in county jails even after paying their bail or resolving their cases, so the court determined that local authorities violated their right to due process, protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Stephanie Cordero, Senior Attorney for Immigrant Rights, LatinoJustice, explains this historic victory for immigrants and their rights.

Stephanie Cordero, Senior Attorney for Immigrant Rights, LatinoJustice, acknowledges that while the compensation does not make up for the time and suffering of the detained immigrants, it does represent a victory.

In light of the current detentions, she explains that if the law can be respected as stated in the Fourteenth Amendment, as was the case with the immigrants detained in 2017, let’s hear from Stephanie Cordero, Senior Attorney for Immigrant Rights, LatinoJustice.

She clarifies that agents require court orders for detention and explains the detention protocol.

She recalls the role played by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office.

Stephanie Cordero, Senior Attorney for Immigrant Rights, LatinoJustice, comments on what this victory means in the current situation.

Finally, Stephanie Cordero, Senior Attorney for Immigrant Rights, LatinoJustice, points out that this case is not unique and can be used as a lesson to defend the rights of immigrants against due process violations during ICE detentions but due to the actions of local authorities.