Speech #990103946

In trying to make a case against sanctuary workers In Arizona. however. the U.S. government conducted a 10month undercover investigation. Operation Sojourner. which led to the indictment of 16 people (later reduced to 12). The charges include bringing undocumented aliens illegally into the United States and then concealing them. The governments case is based on about 100 covert tape recordings. many of them made in church. by two paid government informants. who had disguised themselves as ardently religious supporters of the refugees. Among the tapes are Bible study classes and prayer services. During recent pretrial hearings in Phoenix. U.S. District Judge Earl Carroll has not appeared particularly impressed with defense arguments based on the state of human rights in Central America or the notion that international law can transcend American immigration rules. Judge Carroll has. however. been disturbed by testimony about the governments creation of a new frontier for undercover agents. Sending "people paid to do it and wired to do it into places of religious activity." the judge said. means "the whole process has been sullied in a sense." An argument is being made by lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights. among other attorneys involved in the case. that all the "sullied" evidence obtained by the false congregants should be thrown out.