Posted on July 25, 2005

Judge Throws Out Case of Four Who Were Brought Into Country Illegally As Toddlers

Jacques Billeaud, AP, July 21

A judge on Thursday threw out the deportation case against four young people who were brought to the United States illegally when they were toddlers.

U.S. Immigration Judge John Richardson granted a request to exclude key evidence in the case, ruling that border agents questioned the four based on their Hispanic appearance.

But an attorney for the four, Judy Flanagan, said the case isn’t over because she expects the government to appeal it.

Jaime Damian, 20, Yuliana Huicochea, 20, Oscar Corona, 20, and Luis Nava, 21, were on a school trip in June 2002 to compete in a solar-powered boat competition near Buffalo, N.Y., when they drew the attention of immigration officials.

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