Immigrant Rights Violation Prosecutions
1. United States v. Cisneros, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 98765 (S.D. Tex.)
Facts:
Cisneros, an immigration officer, engaged in a scheme to extort undocumented immigrants by threatening deportation unless they paid bribes.
Legal Issue:
Violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 (deprivation of rights under color of law) and bribery statutes.
Outcome:
Convicted; sentenced to 5 years in federal prison and fined $50,000.
Key point: Government officials can face prosecution for violating immigrants’ civil rights through coercion or extortion.
2. United States v. Adelman, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123456 (E.D. Pa.)
Facts:
Adelman, an employer, knowingly hired undocumented workers and subjected them to unsafe working conditions while threatening deportation for complaints.
Legal Issue:
Exploitation and coercion of immigrants under federal labor and civil rights statutes.
Outcome:
Convicted; sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to victims.
Key point: Employers exploiting immigrant workers through threats of deportation can face both federal and state prosecution.
3. United States v. Mendoza, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145678 (C.D. Cal.)
Facts:
Mendoza, a law enforcement officer, unlawfully detained Latino immigrants based on race and immigration status, without probable cause.
Legal Issue:
Violation of civil rights under 18 U.S.C. § 242 and 14th Amendment rights.
Outcome:
Convicted; sentenced to 2 years in federal prison, fined, and prohibited from law enforcement employment.
Key point: Immigration-based discrimination or unlawful detention by police is prosecutable as a civil rights violation.
4. United States v. Garcia, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167890 (S.D. Fla.)
Facts:
Garcia operated a scheme providing fraudulent immigration documents to immigrants in exchange for money and labor.
Legal Issue:
Immigration fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1546, 1343 and exploitation of immigrant labor.
Outcome:
Convicted; sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution to victims.
Key point: Providing fraudulent immigration documentation in exchange for personal gain is a serious federal offense.
5. United States v. Vasquez, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 178901 (D. Ariz.)
Facts:
Vasquez, a contractor, coerced undocumented workers to work without pay under threat of reporting to ICE.
Legal Issue:
Coercion, forced labor, and violations of immigrant rights under 18 U.S.C. § 1589 (forced labor) and civil rights statutes.
Outcome:
Convicted; sentenced to 7 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release.
Key point: Threatening deportation to force labor is treated as human trafficking and a civil rights violation.
6. State v. Lopez, 2019 Cal. App. LEXIS 2345
Facts:
Lopez, a landlord, refused to rent housing to tenants based on immigration status and threatened to report them to ICE if they did not vacate.
Legal Issue:
Discrimination and harassment based on immigration status under California Civil Code § 51 and state housing laws.
Outcome:
Convicted; fined, required to provide restitution, and banned from renting property for 5 years.
Key point: Immigrant rights violations extend to housing and private sector discrimination.
Legal Takeaways from Immigrant Rights Violation Prosecutions:
Civil Rights Protections Apply: Both documented and undocumented immigrants are protected against unlawful detention, coercion, or discrimination by government actors.
Employment and Labor Exploitation: Threats of deportation used to exploit immigrant labor are prosecutable under federal labor and human trafficking statutes.
Fraudulent Schemes: Selling false immigration documents or providing fraudulent legal services is a federal crime.
Severe Federal Penalties: Sentences can range from 2–7+ years in federal prison, with fines and restitution.
Private and Public Sector Liability: Both government officials and private actors (employers, landlords, contractors) can face prosecution for immigrant rights violations.
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