U. S. Citizens are being detained without trial
Some diminish the concern about the erosion of civil liberties by claiming that it is only non-citizens who are subject to detention in immigration centers. However, as reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune of Jan 27, 2008 (p.A12), a study has found that 125 American citizens have been shipped off to immigration detention centers.
The story detailed one case, that of Thomas Warziniack who was held for a year despite ample evidence that he was a U. S. Citizen. It only took a reporter a few minutes to retrieve a birth certificate. Despite being repeated alerted by relatives that Warziniack was a citizen, ICE (the agency that runs the detention centers) basically refused to release him. It took a U. S. Senator to pry open the door.
But here is the kicker. A spokesidiot for ICE, a Ms. Kice, opined as follows: “The burden of proof is on the individual to show they’re legally entitled to be in the United States.” NO! The burden of proof is always and forever on the government to show it has cause to detain you and deprive you of liberty. She should be fired, but she was probably promoted.
In the meantime, of course, actual illegal immigrants with DUI convictions are still not deported.