On Wednesday, a US lawyer was charged forging immigration documents. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney was said to have forged a document so a Mexican citizen will not be eligible to stay in the United States.
ABC News reported, that Jonathan M. Love in US District Court in Seattle was charged with depriving the rights of Ignacio Lanuza who wanted to stay in the country. The lawyer's illegal actions prompted the Mexican man to file a civil case against him. The filing of the charges happened last year and Mr. Lanuza sought damages for legal costs he suffered because of the injustice that befell on him. While the civil case against Jonathan M. Love was dismissed and appealed, the case against the government continues.
In 2008, Ignacio Lanuza was stopped by an ICE officer as stated in another report by Telegraph. US Attorney's Office reported that ICE started removal proceedings and Attorney Love was assigned in the case in 2009. Love then submitted a document to the Immigration Court that he said was signed by Mr. Lanuza in 2000. However, the prosecutors found out that the lawyer forged the date to make Ignacio Lanuza ineligible to have his removal cancelled.
Meanwhile, according to Latin Post, Love's Seattle lawyer, Tom Brennan, did not release any comments regarding the matter. The Associated Press tried to get an answer through telephone and email messages from Brennan, but there was no reply until now. A spokesman for ICE, Lory Haley said her agency's policies prohibits her from commenting or releasing any statements on pending litigation.
Lawyer of Ignacio Lanuza, Matt Adams who also represents Northwest Immigration Rights Project said that the charges against Attorney Love are an important step in establishing accountability and sending a clear message to the public that all people from whatever race are entitled to a just hearing. "We hope that the Department of Homeland Security will review all of the cases this ICE attorney handled to determine whether there are other victims who need relief," Adams said in an email. Adams also added that the anti-immigration forces that express outrage over people violating the immigration law ignore the truth that those same immigration laws provide numbers of people an opportunity to
Mr. Lanuza was said to have been deprived of his constitutional rights which includes the right of a full and fair immigration removal proceeding free from forging, fabricated, and false evidence. Jonathan M. Love is scheduled to make his first appearance on the charges filed against him this coming Friday.
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