Immigration Agent: His Warrant Is His Genitalia

Nashville, Tennessee residents were the victims of overzealous and perhaps unlawful policing when police there entered their homes to search without warrants. When asked for those warrants, one of the officers told a resident that it was his genitalia. Read the full quote here.

When I heard this story from Colorlines today I was incensed, I could absolutely not believe that such brazen lack of civility and blatant sexist behavior would come under the guise of the law. That, in my opinion, is not what this country should stand for — especially for an officer of the law. Here’s an excerpt:

The ACLU of Tennessee filed a lawsuit this week in federal court on behalf of fifteen residents of an apartment complex in Nashville, TN who say they were targets of an unlawful immigration raid. The defendants allege that ICE agents and Metro Nashville police officers forced their way into their homes without warrants. When residents asked the officers to show a warrant, one agentreportedly said, “We don’t need a warrant, we’re ICE.” Then, gesturing to his genitals…

The ACLU notes on its website that the Fourth Amendment strictly prohibits warrantless intrusions into private homes — and it applies to both citizens and non-citizens. “In the absence of a judicially authorized warrant, there must be voluntary and knowing consent; ICE officers forcing themselves into someone’s home does not constitute consent.”

I don’t hate cops, I’ve known some good ones in my days as a beat reporter, but this is absolutely unacceptable for its vulgarity and inhumane treatment of people in their own homes. Secondly, are we all supposed to forfeit our constitutional rights so that we can enforce immigration laws?! How many more constitutional rights must we forfeit to be sufficiently immigrant-free?