Federal Court Rules Against Suffolk County in Class Action Lawsuit for Failure to Honor …
Suffolk County is facing a tough situation after a federal district court judge’s decision last week. The judge ruled that the county must pay damages to around 650 individuals who were held by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office at the request of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement between July 18, 2014, and Nov. 15, 2018.
The potential damages could reach as high as $60 million, leaving County Executive Ed Romaine to call the situation “nothing short of ridiculous.” In response to this ruling, Romaine has made it clear that the county will be appealing the decision.
The federal class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of those detained between 2014 and 2018, claiming that the sheriff’s office unlawfully extended their detentions based on ICE detainer requests. This detention was found to violate their constitutional rights under the U.S. Constitution and the New York State Constitution.
Former Sheriff Vincent DiMarco had implemented a policy in 2016 to honor ICE detainers with specific warrants. However, a 2018 court decision revealed that the sheriff lacked the authority to detain individuals under these circumstances. Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. ended this practice, following the court’s decision.
While ICE was excluded from the lawsuit, the federal court held the county responsible for the detentions. Sheriff Toulon emphasized that the county stopped the practice as soon as it was determined to be unlawful.
Notably, this situation is not unique. Similar cases have emerged in New York City, where a $92.5 million settlement was reached over improperly detained immigrants. The City of New York faced legal consequences for detaining individuals past their release dates without necessary court orders, showing the importance of following the law in detainment cases.
The county is determined to fight the ruling, with Romaine expressing concerns about the impact on taxpayers and prioritizing the well-being of Suffolk County residents. It is crucial to recognize the need to respect legal boundaries in such cases to prevent future liabilities for local governments.
