Federal agents accused of roughing up immigrants during Homestead raid
BY TRENTON DANIEL
tdaniel@MiamiHerald.com
The Miami Herald
Immigration advocates accused federal agents of using excessive force on immigrants in a raid in Homestead -- an allegation federal authorities deny.
A coalition of immigrant advocates is demanding that the U.S. attorney's office in Miami investigate the arrests of dozens of Mexicans and Guatemalans taken into custody as undocumented immigrants last month during a raid targeting a separate group of alleged sex-trade traffickers in Homestead.
The advocates, along with local community leaders, say the 42 Mexicans and 35 Guatemalans -- who were not involved in sex-trade trafficking -- were rounded up Nov. 19 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. They accused ICE agents of using excessive force when they took the foreign nationals into custody.
Nicole Navas, an ICE spokeswoman, denied allegations of agent misconduct. ''As is routine protocol, all allegations have been forwarded to the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility for their independent review,'' Navas wrote in an e-mail to The Miami Herald.
She said agents conducting the raids also came across undocumented immigrants and, under the law, were obligated to arrest them.
"'This is a mandate we take seriously and cannot and will not turn a blind eye to illegal activity," Navas added.
A spokeswoman from the U.S. attorney's office said the allegations were forwarded to the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General.
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