South Jersey Premier Trial Firm Blog

New Jersey immigrants may want to follow a case that is unfolding in another state. Those who worry about deportation may be particularly concerned to hear that a man was allegedly arrested and placed in immigration detention without cause. A team of attorneys is advocating on his behalf to try to rectify the situation.

The man was scheduled to appear at a check-in appointment in connection with his visa. He met the requirement and was apparently standing to approach the official who had announced his time to signify that it was his turn. His attorneys say he was grabbed by several Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who moved in on him when his name was called. The man reportedly has no criminal record. Accusations of personal rights violations have been asserted, including denial of due process, refusal to allow the man to speak to his attorneys and removal of his personal passport from his possession.

When a New Jersey traveler pulls up to a gasoline pump, he or she has the right to reasonably expect that the transaction will occur in as safe a manner as possible. While every motorist and vehicle passenger, plus pedestrians, gas station workers, etc., do face a certain amount of risk for injury whenever they are driving, riding or working, they definitely do not expect that stopping for gas will end in a fatality. Tragically, that is exactly what happened to three people on a recent Tuesday.

A 50-year-old man and his 17-year-old son were in their car at a gas station. A 22-year-old gas station attendant was nearby, as well as several other vehicles carrying occupants. Mass damage occurred when a car on the road suddenly hit a guardrail then came barreling into the gas station, hitting the car with the father and son with such force that their roof was torn off from their vehicle.

In New Jersey and elsewhere across the country, minors are often separated from their parents and other family members when they are placed in the custody of U.S. immigration law officers. An immigration detention center in another state is meant to provide temporary shelter for children until their cases are processed. However, several adults who were recently granted tours of the facility say the kids are being held in droves for as long as six months at a time.

One man who toured the complex said conditions there are inhumane. He described rooms with rows of bunk beds where children (as many as 100 per room) are packed in like sardines to sleep. The facility has detained as many as 250 kids at a time, reportedly allowing them no contact with their parents, except by telephone, a couple times per week for as little as 10 minutes per call.

If a New Jersey resident is threatened with imminent harm through the words or actions of another, he or she may be able to seek justice in civil court. A personal injury claim can be filed to seek compensation for damages sustained, whether such damages involve emotional, economic or physical injury. Incidents of assault often involve criminal charges; a victim who decides to seek legal accountability against an aggressor may be able to use information regarding criminal charges filed to his or her advantage in a civil case.

An incident occurred at approximately 11:25 p.m. on a recent Monday that may be an example of alleged assault situations that often lead to civil litigation. In this instance, a woman, age 35, told police that a 31-year-old man choked her so severely that she could not breathe. Police reports show that the man is believed to have been intoxicated at the time.