Immigrant Group Sues Arizona

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:30 pm

Immigrant group sues Arizona

Big News Network

Friday 20th October, 2006 (UPI)

An immigrant rights group has sued Arizona, claiming that funds belonging to the innocent are being seized in an effort to crack down on human smugglers.

Three plaintiffs who had lost money wired by Western Union filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, the Arizona Republic reported. They are sponsored by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

The plaintiffs have asked a federal judge to certify the suit against state Attorney General Terry Goddard as a class action. Goddard has frozen many wire transfers via Western Union and similar services to prevent illegal immigrants from paying the coyotes who guided them over the Mexican border.

The coalition charges that Goddard is engaged in broad racial profiling.

What this situation requires is targeted rifle-shot action to take out coyotes and drug smugglers, Josh Hoyt, the coalition's executive director said in a statement. But Attorney General Goddard is practicing a legal drive-by shooting.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 5:52 am

Hmmmmmmmmmmm :yh_think

I need more detail. They're not freezing all wire transfers to Mexico, so there must be some evidence.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:34 am

Morning, Accountable!

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... e1013.html

The above article is from the AZ Republic. It gives better detail.

This is news to me and I've lived in AZ for 31 years.

Articles are also in the Chicago Tribune and New York Times but one needs to register to read them.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:14 am

It will be an interesting court case, the evidence I think will then be presented if this is a valid claim. Many illegals here in the States send money home via Western Union and other transfer services. Ther are targeting a specific amount.

*I will speak from personal experience of 10 years living in the barrio*

It seems the price of smuggling illegals hasn't increased much, if they are using this system. Prices in the 90s was around $600-1000 for a TJ entrance or further west. They are just heading for a different direction into Arizona and New Mexico, since there has been a crackdown on the San Diego/Tijuana entry point. They use a totally different system here for entry into the Eastern United States.