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Judge Dismisses Lawsuit In Immigrant Death Case
Arizona Capitol Reports Staff//July 15, 2005//[read_meter]
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit In Immigrant Death Case
Arizona Capitol Reports Staff//July 15, 2005//[read_meter]
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of the Interior by the families of 11 illegal immigrants who died crossing the Arizona desert.
U.S. District Judge John Roll dismissed the lawsuit on July 12.
The families filed the wrongful-death suit in May 2003 saying federal border policies forced immigrants into harsh terrain and then officials refused to allow a humanitarian group to place water stations in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. The 11 were among 14 who died in May 2001 in the refuge.
Judge Roll dismissed the case saying the decision on whether to allow water stations was a discretionary policy decision, and the court lacked jurisdiction to rule in such cases. —
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