Immigrants appeal Texas judge’s order to turn over personal information
Source: The Guardian
Immigrants appeal Texas judges order to turn over personal information
Federal judge ruled US must provide data of 50,000 people by 10 June
ACLU and other civil rights groups challenge politically driven lawsuit
Tom Dart in Houston
Saturday 4 June 2016 14.08 BST
Four immigrants are challenging a Texas-based judges order that the US justice department must give him the personal data of about 50,000 people who applied for benefits under the Obama administrations deportation deferral programme.
Andrew Hanen, a federal judge, ruled on 19 May that the government must send the information by 10 June. The challenge announced on Friday seeks a decision that would avoid details such as addresses, social security numbers and immigrant registration identifiers potentially falling into the hands of states that want to block the presidents executive actions. The petition will ask the New Orleans-based federal fifth circuit appeals court to rule before that date.
Handing over personal information to authorities is a sensitive issue for many undocumented immigrants, who worry that it could be used against them.
If Judge Hanens order is honoured, everyone else may have to think twice before submitting personal information to the government agencies because they will be worried that the information could be shared with politicians who will post them at any time for any reason, said one of the plaintiffs, Angelica Villalobos, a 31-year-old Oklahoma resident, on a conference call with reporters on Friday.
Im very concerned that my family or I could be harassed or even physically harmed by private individuals should my personal information fall into the wrong hands. Having been a vocal advocate for immigrants, I am well aware of the anti-immigrant sentiment held by some individuals, said another member of the 50,000 on the call, Juan Escalante, a 27-year-old from Florida.
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Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/04/immigrants-appeal-texas-order-turn-over-personal-information