Fact Check: "Civil rights attorney Fred Brewington stated that the stop of Elzon Lemus by ICE agents may have violated constitutional protections and was a clear case of racial profiling."
What We Know
On June 3, 2023, Elzon Lemus, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, was stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while driving to work in Brentwood, New York. During the stop, ICE agents reportedly stated that Lemus "looked like someone we're looking for" and demanded to see his identification. Lemus refused to provide his ID, questioning the agents about their reasons for stopping him. He was subsequently detained for approximately 20-25 minutes, during which he expressed feeling that his civil rights were being violated due to his race (CBS News, The Independent).
Fred Brewington, Lemus' attorney, has publicly stated that the actions of the ICE agents constitute racial profiling and a violation of Lemus' constitutional rights. Brewington emphasized that the agents had no reasonable suspicion to justify the stop and that their actions were a direct attack on Lemus' civil liberties (CBS News, Yahoo News). Local leaders, including Assemblymember Karines Reyes, have echoed these sentiments, calling the incident "deeply troubling" and indicative of broader issues regarding civil rights in the community (CBS News, Daily Voice).
Analysis
The claim made by Fred Brewington regarding the stop of Elzon Lemus is supported by multiple sources that detail the incident and the legal implications surrounding it. The video evidence of the stop shows Lemus questioning the agents and asserting his rights, which aligns with Brewington's assertion that the agents lacked probable cause for the stop (CBS News, The Independent).
The reliability of the sources reporting on this incident is generally high. CBS News and The Independent are established news organizations known for their journalistic standards, while local reports from News 12 and Daily Voice provide additional context and community reactions. The statements from legal representatives and local officials lend further credibility to the claims of racial profiling and civil rights violations (CBS News, Daily Voice).
However, it is important to note that ICE has not publicly commented on the incident, which leaves a gap in the narrative. The lack of a response from ICE could suggest a reluctance to address the allegations, but it also means that the agency's perspective is not represented in the current discourse (CBS News).
Conclusion
The claim that civil rights attorney Fred Brewington stated that the stop of Elzon Lemus by ICE agents may have violated constitutional protections and was a clear case of racial profiling is True. The evidence presented, including Lemus' own account, the legal interpretations by his attorney, and the reactions from local leaders, collectively support the assertion that the stop was unjustified and racially motivated.
Sources
- Video allegedly shows ICE agents detaining Hispanic U.S. citizen in Nassau County
- US citizen blasts ICE after being detained as he drove to work
- US citizen blasts ICE after being detained as he drove to work
- U.S. citizen claims civil rights were violated during ICE traffic stop in Long Island
- NY Man Illegally Detained By ICE Because Of Race, Attorney Claims
