October 15, 2018 / Modified oct 15, 2018 10:53 a.m.

Group Calls for Judge to Toss Border Case

Lawyers for a man working with the No More Deaths humanitarian aid group say the charges are U.S. government retaliation.

Federal courthouse The Evo A. DeConcini U.S. Courthouse, 405 W. Congress Street in Tucson.
Nick O'Gara/AZPM

Lawyers for a man working with a humanitarian aid group on the border will ask a federal judge next week to dismiss charges against him. The lawyers say the U.S. government is retaliating against the group, called No More Deaths.

Scott Warren was charged last year with two felonies, accused of smuggling and harboring undocumented immigrants at a No More Deaths shelter in Ajo, Arizona. The group has shown videos of Border Patrol agents destroying some of those water jugs and says Warren was targeted after a new video was released.

"We had a press release the morning, and that evening, Warren was arrested," said volunteer Sebastian Rodriguez.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment, citing the upcoming trial. The trial is slated for early next year.

Fronteras Desk
This story is from the Fronteras Desk, a collaboration of Southwestern public radio stations, including NPR 89.1. Read more from the Fronteras Desk.
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