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ACLU Crying Foul In Immigration Case

Thursday, February 26, 2009 12:19:05 AM
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A rally was held in Orlando for Rita "Fany" Cote, a Lake County woman who was  arrested and held without charges for over a week in the Lake County Jail.

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ORLANDO -- Support is growing for a Lake County woman involved in a federal immigration case over possible constitutional violations.

A rally was held in Orlando for Rita "Fany" Cote.

The wife and mother of three children was arrested and held without charges for over a week in the Lake County Jail.

Officers arrested Cote while she was translating for a victim of domestic violence at her home.

Deputies said normally they contact the U.S. Border Patrol right away to take custody of anyone suspected of being here illegally. 

However, in this case, the sheriff's office admits it made a mistake by not turning her over to Border Patrol custody within 48 hours.

They are doing an internal investigation into what caused Cote to sit in jail for almost a week without charges.

"This family is torn apart. They didn't arrest a criminal. They arrested a mother of three, and the love of my life, my wife," said husband Robert Cote.

Cote's husband said he's tried to get paperwork to allow his wife to stay, but the process is too costly.

The ACLU of Florida filed motion in federal court on Cote's behalf this week, trying to make sure she is not deported to try and cover up the error.

The ACLU will hold a news conference in front of the Lake County Administration Center in Tavares Thursday.

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