A federal judge says immigration agents violated a worker’s constitutional rights during a raid at a nutrition bar factory in Cayuga County.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes ruled late last week that agents went beyond the scope of their search warrant and acted, quote, “grossly negligent,” when they raided the plant in September.
The decision came in a case brought by Argentina Juarez-Lopez, one of 57 workers arrested in the raid. The Post Standard reports the judge ordered key evidence against Juarez-Lopez thrown out, including her statements, fingerprints, and immigration records.
While the ruling strongly criticizes the agents’ tactics, Juarez-Lopez may be the only worker to directly benefit. Most of the others were either deported or pleaded guilty to separate immigration charges.
