The settlement pays a total of $865,000 to 10 plaintiffs, with a portion going to the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.
The ACLU filed the federal suit in 2019 asserting police aggressively questioned motorists and their passengers about their immigration statuses without cause or justification, and held them for federal immigration agents.
Troopers from around the state “engaged in a pattern and practice of unlawful civil immigration enforcement that has ripped apart families, terrorized motorists, and sent a clear message to communities across Pennsylvania: the state police are in the immigration business,” said the suit, which alleged discrimination and civil rights violations.
Under the settlement, state police agreed to amend their policy to forbid troopers from enforcing civil immigration law. “PSP does not have jurisdiction with respect to civil immigration enforcement,” the new policy language says. Troopers may not make a traffic stop based on a motorist’s suspected nationality or immigration status, and may not ask questions about a person’s immigration status unless it’s necessary as part of a criminal investigation, according to the policy. Nor may troopers stop, search or detain someone solely based on a federal immigration detainer request.
The settlement did not require state police to admit wrongdoing. All six troopers named in the suit are still working for state police, along with a PSP supervisor who works in commercial vehicle enforcement who was also a defendant, according to an agency spokesperson.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hearing for woman charged in death of 2 Pa. state troopers, pedestrian on I-95 postponedThe hearing for the 21-year-old woman charged in the death of two Pennsylvania state troopers and a pedestrian has been postponed, minutes after the families of the fallen troopers arrived at the courthouse.
Read more »
Central Pa. mom used fentanyl before passing out while feeding newborn, killing him: policePolice in Franklin County charged Destinee Griffin-Bailey, 31, with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of her 6-day-old son.
Read more »
Pa. toddler killed when gun went off as boy, 2, played with it: policePolice say the two were in a parked car at a Chester County gas station when the shooting occurred.
Read more »
Pa. baby dies after methamphetamine found in blood, comforters: policeInvestigators learned that the baby's father would cut methamphetamine powder on top of the washer and dryer in the family's basement.
Read more »
Prosecutors can try to drop 2018 police shooting case: Pa. courtStu Harrison had been on the Southwestern Regional police force for more than 15 years when he shot a handcuffed prisoner who refused to get into the back of a police car outside a Spring Grove bank.
Read more »
State of Georgia reaches settlement with widow of man shot, killed by state trooperThe widow of Julian Lewis will be getting a $4.8 million dollar settlement, which could be the largest in state history.
Read more »