An October raid on a horse racing venue in Wilder, Idaho, has prompted a federal civil rights lawsuit from the American Civil Rights Union (ACLU) alleging mistreatment of families, including U.S. citizens and minors, by law enforcement. Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue initially rejected allegations that agents used zip ties to restrain children but later stated, "God bless her. I'm sorry she went through that," when presented with photographic evidence by CBS News.
Incident Details
The raid on the horse racing venue involved approximately 200 officers, armored vehicles, and flashbang grenades. This operation led to the detention of 105 undocumented immigrants.
Approximately 375 U.S. citizens or lawful residents were released after proving their legal status.
Accounts from the lawsuit allege agents smashed car windows where children were seeking refuge and that an 8-year-old boy had glass shards in his mouth.
A 14-year-old U.S. citizen, SueHey Romero, stated she was zip-tied, and photos obtained by CBS News showed bruises on her wrists. Her mother, Anabel Romero, also alleged she was zip-tied and prevented from comforting her daughter.
Juana Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen, claimed she was bound for hours while her 3-year-old son cried, and officers denied her requests to hold him.
Initial denials from law enforcement regarding the restraint of children later changed. The FBI field office in Boise initially denied claims of children being zip-tied but later amended their statement, and the Caldwell Police Department, which participated in the raid, acknowledged that minors had been zip-tied.
Law Enforcement Response and Rationale
Sheriff Donahue stated the raid's objective was an illegal gambling operation, stemming from an FBI initiative four years in the making. He invited U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to join, citing suspected cartel involvement as the primary objective.
Homeland Security spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin denied that ICE zip-tied, restrained, or arrested any children, stating, "ICE does not zip tie or handcuff children."
Four months after the raid, the only criminal charges filed involved five individuals arrested for unlicensed gambling.
Lawsuit and Community Impact
The ACLU's lawsuit, filed on behalf of three Latino families, alleges law enforcement "conspired to abuse a criminal search warrant as cover to go fishing for immigration arrests."
The lawsuit claims that such incidents will leave physical and emotional scars on children. Examples include a 3-year-old becoming afraid of police and a 15-year-old experiencing recurring nightmares.
Sheriff Donahue acknowledged the raid had damaged ties between local law enforcement and the Latino community. Anabel Romero and her daughter, SueHey, expressed concerns about trusting law enforcement in the future.