By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
In the heat of the moment, fed agents can say the darnest things.
The website Talking Points Memo reports that the Tennessee chapter of the ACLU is suing Immigration and Customs Enforcement over an alleged warrantless raid on an apartment complex in Nashville in which an agent allegedly shouted, “we don’t need a warrant, we’re ICE.”
Oh yes, he then allegedly added as he gestured to his crotch: “The warrant is coming out of my balls.”
TPM reported that the 37-page complaint was on behalf of fifteen plaintiffs. The raid was on the apartment complex that was suspected of housing illegal immigrants.
The raid in question took place on October 20, 2010 in Nashville. TPM reports that ICE agents kicked in the door of several apartments in a complex “without a warrant, held the tenants at gunpoint, shouted racial slurs and made several arrests.”
UPDATE: 6:28 p.m. Monday: In response to an inquiry from ticklethewire.com, ICE Monday issued a statement saying:
“While ICE does not comment on pending litigation, ICE agents and officers are held to the highest standards of conduct. They treat individuals encountered during law enforcement operations with respect and professionalism, according to standard law enforcement operating procedures. Any allegations of misconduct are investigated and if wrong-doing is found, appropriate action is taken.
“In this case from Oct. 2010, ICE’s Fugitive Operations Team was on-site assisting local law enforcement with field interviews of suspected street gang members and targeted ICE fugitives. ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes our efforts on individuals that pose the greatest threat to public safety.”
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