Immigration Authorities Arresting American Citizens

Four Americans citizens were mistakenly arrested in California by immigration authorities.

According to the ACLU, three Hispanic men were arrested and put on immigration holds after being processed through Secure Communities in November, and a fourth one went through the same process in July.

One of the men, Antonio Montejano, said he was arrested Nov. 5 in Santa Monica and spent four days in jail after he forgot to pay for candy his kids ate while shopping at a local Sears store.

He was also arrested because a $10 bottle of perfume was not scanned, even though he bought $600 worth of merchandise, the ACLU said.

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Montejano’s release, but he was kept jailed because of an immigration hold, the ACLU said.

In jail, no one believed he was a citizen, Montejano recounted, because he speaks with an accent. He said he has split his time between Mexico and the U.S.

He was released after the ACLU sent ICE Montejano’s passport and birth certificate.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.