ACLU sues Miami-Dade over the detention of immigrants

MIAMI — Miami-Dade County is violating the U.S. Constitution by detaining people without a warrant to comply with Trump administration immigration policies, the American Civil Liberties Union says in a federal lawsuit.

The ACLU and other attorneys sued in Miami on behalf of a Honduran-born U.S. citizen who was held in jail without charges because an immigration officer had requested deportation proceedings.

Miami-Dade County, where more than half the population is foreign born, became the only big jurisdiction to follow President Donald Trump’s immigration order punishing socalled sanctuary cities that shield residents from federal immigration authorities.

Cities in California, Massachusetts and Washington have challenged Trump’s executive order in court, and a federal judge blocked it in April, at least temporarily.

Garland Creedle was arrested March 12 in a case of alleged domestic violence and was due to be released March 13 on bail. The 18-year-old was held an additional night on the “detainer” request before being released March 14 — apparently after immigration authorities confirmed his citizenship. Although Creedle is a U.S. citizen, attorneys behind the lawsuit argue that anyone held beyond the closing of a criminal case on an immigration detainer is being “unlawfully detained.”

The complaint, filed Wednesday, says the county is in violation of the Fourth Amendment that protects people from unreasonable arrests. The lawsuit also says Florida law prohibits jail officials from detaining people for civil immigration purposes.

Between Jan. 27 and June 15, the county received 338 requests for detainers, and 124 people were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.