Hispanic churches file federal lawsuit against anti-immigrant Arizona 'patriot' groups

A network of small Hispanic churches that for months have welcomed and aided migrant families who have been processed by federal immigration officials on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against two Arizona anti-immigrant groups.

The civil lawsuit stems from AZ Patriots and Patriot Movement AZ members confronting church volunteers as they welcome migrant mothers, fathers and children. In videos posted on social media since December, the right-wing demostrators — sometimes posing as volunteers or members of the news media — confront church volunteers, accuse them of human trafficking and call the migrants an invading force.

They frequently live-stream their activities, in some cases claiming the churches are “harboring illegals.” In one instance, Jennifer Harrison, member of AZ Patriots, filmed inside a church in Tucson after saying she was interested in volunteering.

The church leaders sued several members of each group for defamation, trespassing, invasion of privacy, discriminatory interference with property and conspiracy to violate their civil rights.

Read more: https://www.azmirror.com/2019/06/04/hispanic-churches-file-federal-lawsuit-against-anti-immigrant-arizona-patriot-groups/