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For Immediate Release |
Contact:
Matt Adams |
DHS Agrees to Pay $400,000 to U.S. Citizen, Army Veteran, Unlawfully Detained by Immigration for Over Seven Months
Rennison Castillo is a United States citizen and U.S. Army veteran who was imprisoned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. It took more than seven months for the government to finally admit it had made an error and release him. Now the Department of Homeland Security has agreed to pay him $400,000 and has issued a formal apology. In addition, the government has revised their operation instructions on how to handle persons who present U.S. citizen claims.
In November of 2005, Mr. Castillo had just completed his sentence for violation of a protection order and harassment. Instead of being released from jail, he was transferred to the custody of ICE, which held him at the Northwest Detention Center for the next seven and a half months. During his detention, Mr. Castillo repeatedly explained to several different ICE officers, and then to an Immigration Judge, how he had not only been naturalized as a U.S. citizen, but had also honorably served this country in the U.S. military.
Rennison Castillo was born in Belize. He came to the United States when he was six years old and later became a lawful permanent resident of the United States. In 1996, Mr. Castillo enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving for a period of seven years, before being honorably discharged in 2003. During his military service, Mr. Castillo applied for naturalization, completed all of the requirements and was sworn in as a United States citizen in October 1998. Nonetheless, Mr. Castillo was detained by ICE and brought to the Northwest Detention Center. ICE claimed that Mr. Castillo was in the country illegally and began deportation proceedings against him.
“When I was detained, I was shocked and felt betrayed that, after serving in the military, I was placed in that position,” Rennison said. “ICE officers did not listen to me when I told them repeatedly that I was a U.S. citizen and had served in the Army at Fort Lewis. They were disrespectful and told me that I would say anything to get out of detention. It was a nightmare.”
Like other immigration detainees faced with deportation, Mr. Castillo was not entitled to a court-appointed attorney, and he could not afford to hire a private attorney. He was only released after Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) took up his case on appeal.
Subsequently, Mr. Castillo received assistance from NWIRP attorneys Matt Adams and Angelica Chazaro, who agreed to represent him in filing a Bivens action in federal district court against the ICE officers who were responsible for his detention.
“What was most disturbing to me in reviewing this case was the callous indifference of the ICE officials,” said his attorney, Matt Adams. “We knew we had to take some sort of action to try to prevent this abuse of power from happening again in the future.”
After learning of the case, the law firm of K&L Gates agreed to provide pro bono representation to Mr. Castillo. K&L Gates lawyers representing Mr. Castillo included Douglas Greenswag, Theo Angelis, and Kymberly Evanson. Theo Angelis, a partner with K&L Gates and one of Castillo’s attorneys explained: “Our soldiers deserve honor, respect, and justice. We are proud of helping Mr. Castillo obtain an apology and just compensation.”
The government agreed to enter settlement negotiations after a federal district court judge denied the government’s motion to dismiss. In addition to the damages award and the formal statement of regret, DHS announced a revised policy to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
Read this media release as a pdf here.
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Northwest Immigrant Rights Project promotes justice for low-income immigrants by pursuing and defending their legal status. We focus on providing direct legal services, supported by our education and public policy work. NWIRP is the only entity in the list of “Free Legal Services” that is given to individuals placed in removal (aka deportation) proceedings in Washington State.
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Press Releases:
- Federal Judge Grants Preliminary Approval of Settlement Agreement in National Class Action Lawsuit on Work Authorization for Asylum Seekers
- Vulnerable Immigrants in Deportation Proceedings Unable to Represent Themselves Must Get Counsel and a Hearing
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to Recognize Regional Leaders
- Class Action Lawsuit Forces Policy Change to Protect Detained Immigrants with Serious Mental Disabilities
- Agreement Reached in National Class Action Lawsuit on Work Authorization for Asylum Seekers
- UW Report: Collaboration between King County jails and ICE results in unfair and costly impact
- Widespread Abuse by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Documented in National Wave of Complaints
- Legal Groups to Announce Wave of Cases Highlighting Nationwide Abuses By U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Granger Community Legal Workshop: Get Free Attorney Help With DREAMer Deferred Action Forms
- Seattle/Des Moines Community Legal Workshop: Get Free Attorney Help With DREAMer Deferred Action Forms
- NWIRP places two members on key Shriver Center Leadership Program
- Breaking News: Border Patrol Policy Change Important Victory for Border Communities
- Granger Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Omak Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Bellevue Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Spokane Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Yakima Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Everett Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Mattawa and Yakima Community Legal Workshops: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Olympia/Lacey Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- NWIRP Presents: An Evening at Wing Luke Celebrating 28 Years of Reuniting Families
- Walla Walla Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Pasco Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Seattle/Des Moines Community Legal Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- Wenatchee Community Workshop: Talk to an Attorney About DREAMer Deferred Action
- 10 Members of Congress Join Northern Borders Coalition Demand for Civil Rights Audit of Border Patrol
- Federal Judge Rules that Lawsuit Against Border Patrol Actions on Olympic Peninsula May Move Forward
- Granger Community Workshop: Do you qualify for DREAMer Deferred Action?
- Tacoma Community Workshop – Do you qualify for DREAMer Deferred Action?
- Wednesday: Press Conference - The DREAMer Deferred Action Program Unveiled
- Immigrant Rights and Civil Rights Leaders React to SB1070 Decision and Announce Renewed Efforts to Fight
- Federal Agency Rules Against Use of Border Patrol Agents as Interpreters
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Presents: 28th Anniversary Celebration
- NWIRP Challenges Local Law Enforcement Use of U.S. Border Patrol Agents as “Interpreters”
- Lawsuit Challenges Unconstitutional Stops and Interrogations by Border Patrol Agents on Olympic Peninsula
- Federal Judge Certifies Class Action Asserting Right to Counsel for Immigrant Detainees with Mental Disabilities
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project & Partners Target “Asylum Clock” in Class Action Lawsuit
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Presents: An Evening at Wing Luke, Celebrating 27 Years of Reuniting Families
- Minor Changes to "Secure Communities" Do Not Address Inherent Problems with the Program
- Man Nearly Deported Awaiting Asylum Decision for Sixteen Years
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Celebrates 27 Years of Service to Washington State Immigrants and Refugees
- DHS Agrees to Pay $400,000 to U.S. Citizen, Army Veteran, Unlawfully Detained by Immigration for Over Seven Months
- Federal Court Rules in Favor of NWIRP Client, Reaffirms Protections for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence
- Immigrants Win Right to Representation
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project & Center for Justice Achieve Settlement in Case of Immigrant Detained Unlawfully
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project & Partners File First Class-Action Lawsuit On Behalf of Immigrants with Mental Disabilities
- United States v. Arizona racial profiling law
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Legal Voice, Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, National Employment Law Project and ACLU of Washington Unite to Praise Washington Supreme Court Decision Protecting the Integrity of the Court System
- NWIRP to receive national recognition
- NWIRP to Celebrate 25 Years of Serving Immigrant Communities
- NWIRP E.D. Jorge Baron on KUOW 94.9
- NWIRP Wins "Moving Mountains" award from Office of Crime Victims Advocacy
- NWIRP wins City of Seattle Human Rights Award
- Federal Appeals Court Rules For Jamaican Gay Man and NWIRP Client, Finds “Pattern or Practice” of Persecution Against Gay Jamaican Men
- Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Challenging Unreasonable Delays Granting Citizenship
- U.S. Citizen and Army Veteran Spends Nine Months In Detention While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Denies Detaining Citizens
- NWIRP Expresses Its Opposition to Planned Expansion of DHS Detention Center
- Matt Adams Wins National Excellence in Litigation Award