A Mexican native living in Wyoming has sued a Michigan sheriff's department, saying local authorities violate the rights of people they detain for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Juan Jose Romero-Lara filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids against the Kent County Sheriff's Department. He says detaining him pending a transfer to ICE violates constitutional rights, especially when a judge issued a personal recognizance bond that would've released him.
The 32-year-old from Mexico has resided in the U.S. for about 15 years. He was arrested and charged with domestic violence Aug. 17 and arraigned the next day, but ICE asked the jail to detain him until they picked him up Aug. 21.
The undersheriff says the jail cooperates with ICE as a professional courtesy.
