DENVER (AP) -- The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Jefferson County sheriff, claiming a man was illegally imprisoned for 47 days because of questions about his immigration status.
The lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday names Sheriff Ted Mink and accuses him of illegally holding Luis Quezada, who was arrested last May for failing to appear in court on a traffic charge.
The ACLU says the sheriff should have released Quezada after a 48-hour immigration hold expired and immigration officials failed to take him into custody. But the lawsuit says the sheriff kept Quezada in jail for 47 more days.
The ACLU is seeking unspecified compensation for Quezada.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Jacki Kelley says county officials are reviewing the lawsuit and investigating the complaint. She declined to comment further.
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