Three people who believe they were mistreated in an
immigration raid in Jackson, Wyo., last summer have filed paperwork
seeking more than $1.8 million in damages from three government
agencies.
The first is AgustÆn Perez, a
legal alien from neighoring Driggs, Idaho, who alleges that two
guns were held to his head during an Aug. 25 raid conducted by the
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, the town of Jackson
and Teton County (HCN, 12/23/96). The other two are Perez’s sister,
Martha Lira, and her husband, Miguel Lira, who allege their Jackson
home was illegally searched.
The claims say four
officers, two of which were INS agents, slammed Perez against
Lira’s trailer, pointed a gun at his face and one at the back of
his head and jerked his arm roughly. “We believe it was the INS
agents that drew the guns,” says Bob Horn, the plaintiffs’
attorney.
His clients were shaken by the
experience, adds Horn. “They’re not doing well at all. I think part
of what’s involved here is that people who are the weakest are hurt
the most.”
If all three entities deny the claims
as expected, Horn said the matter will likely end up in
court.
* Alison
Gregor
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline INS raid leads to lawsuit.
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