MAYOR DESTEFANO REQUESTS INVESTIGATION INTO IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN NEW HAVEN

(6/11/2007) NEW HAVEN- In a press conference today, Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. announced his request to Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, asking for an investigation into last week’s immigration raids. DeStefano also asked that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suspend any scheduled raids in New Haven at least until an investigation of last week’s actions have concluded.

“We’ve placed calls to Chertoff and are awaiting his response,” said DeStefano. “We are asking the Office of Professional Conduct and the Inspector General to look into this. We won’t stand for the violation of constitutional rights and racial profiling in New Haven.”

The City has sighted a number of areas in which DHS violated protocol including constitutional violations, entry into homes without warrants, search of homes without warrants, no proof of identification, racial profiling and coercion and duress.

Affidavits of witness testimony to the raids were released at today’s press conference.

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Contact Name: Jessica Mayorga

Contact Email: jmayorga@newhavenct.net

Contact Phone: 203-946-7660