Rodriguez v. Swartz

111 F. Supp. 3d 1025, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167309, 2015 WL 8228162
CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedJuly 9, 2015
DocketNo. 4:14-CV-02251-RCC
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 111 F. Supp. 3d 1025 (Rodriguez v. Swartz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rodriguez v. Swartz, 111 F. Supp. 3d 1025, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167309, 2015 WL 8228162 (D. Ariz. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

Raner C. Collins, Chief United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

This case calls on the Court to answer two. challenging questions: 1) whether a Mexican national standing on the Mexican-side of the United States and Mexico border at the time of the alleged violation can avail himself of the protections of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the United States Constitution when a U.S. Border Patrol agent standing in the United States uses excessive force against him; and 2) whether a U.S. Border Patrol agent may assert qualified immunity based on facts he found out after the alleged violation.

Specifically before the Court are Plaintiff Araceli Rodriguez’ First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) (Doc. 18), Defendant Lonnie Swartz’ Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 12(b)(6) Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 30), Rodriguez’ Response (Doc. 46), and Swartz’ Reply (Doc. 49). The Court heard oral arguments on this matter on May 26, 2015. For the reasons stated below, the Court grants in part and denies in part Swartz’ Motion to Dismiss.

BACKGROUND

The Court sets forth the following factual background and hereby imparts that these statements are reiterations of Rodriguez’ allegations which may or may not be a complete and accurate rendition of the facts of this case. See (Doc. 18). At this stage in the proceedings, Swartz has made no concessions as to the veracity of Rodriguez’ allegations nor presented any contravening facts; such facts are not required when filing a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss.

1. Rodriguez brings this suit on behalf of her deceased minor son, J.A. (Doc. 18 at ¶¶ 3, 6).
2. On the night of October 10, 2012, J.A. was walking home alone down the sidewalk of Calle Internacional, a street that runs alongside the border fence on the Mexican side of the border between the United States and Mexico. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 9).
3. According to an eyewitness who was ■ walking behind J.A. that night, a Border Patrol agent stationed on the U.S. side of the fence, now known to be Swartz, opened fire. According to various reports, Swartz fired anywhere from 14 to 30 shots. Upon information and belief, Swartz did not issue any verbal warnings before opening fire. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 10).
[1029]*10294. J.A. was shot approximately ten times and collapsed where he was shot. Virtually all of the shots entered his body from behind. Upon information and belief, no one else was shot. (Doc. 18 at ¶¶ 11-13).
5. Immediately prior to the shooting, J.A. was visible and not hiding — he was peacefully walking down the street by himself. Eyewitnesses state that he did not pose a threat and was not committing a crime, throwing rocks, using a weapon or threatening U.S. Border Patrol agents or anyone else prior to being shot. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 14).
6. At the moment he was shot, J.A. was walking ón the southern side of Calle Internacional, directly across the street from a sheer cliff face that rises approximately 25 feet from street level. The cliff is approximately 30 feet from where J.A. was standing when shot. The border fence, which is approximately 20-25 feet tall, runs along the top of the cliff. Thus, at the location where J.A. was shot, the top of the fence towards approximately 50 feet above street level on the Mexican side. The fence itself is made of steel beams that are 6.5 inches in diameter. Each beam is approximately 3.5 inches apart from the next. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 15).
7. At the time of the shooting, J.A. lived in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, approximately four blocks from where he was shot. Because J.Á’s mother (Plaintiff, Araceli Rodriguez) was away for work, J.A.’s grandmother often visited Nogales, Mexico to care for him. J.A.’s grandmother and grandfather live in Arizona and were lawful permanent residents of the United States at the time of the shooting. They are now U.S. citizens. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 17).
8. Swartz fired from the U.S. side of the fence. Swartz acted under color of law when shooting J.A. Upon information and belief, Swartz did not know whether J.A. was a U.S. citizen or whether J.A. had any significant contacts with the United States. (Doc. 18 at ¶¶ 17,19).
9. J.A.’s killing by Swartz is not a unique event, but part of a larger pattern of shootings by Border Patrol agents in Nogales and elsewhere. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 20).
10. The U.S.-Mexico border area of Mexico is unlike other areas of Mexico. U.S. Border Patrol agents not only control the U.S. side of the fence, but through the use of force and assertion of authority, also exert control over the immediate area on the Mexican side, including where J.A. was shot. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 21).
11. U.S. control of the Mexican side of the border fence in Nogales and other areas along the Southern border is apparent and longstanding, and recognized by persons living in the area. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 22).
12. Border Patrol agents use guns, non-lethal devices and other weapons, as well as military equipment and surveillance devices to target persons on the Mexican side of the border. For example, U.S. surveillance cameras are mounted along the border fence, monitoring activity on the Mexican side of the fence. Additionally, Border Patrol agents have opened fire into Nogales from the U.S. side on prior occasions and are known to launch non-lethal devices such as pepper spray canisters into Nogales neighborhoods [1030]*1030from the U.S. side of the border fence. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 23).
13. U.S. Border Patrol agents exercise control over areas on the Mexican side of the border adjacent to the international border fence. U.S. Border Patrol agents make seizures on the Mexican side of the fence. U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection officials are authorized to be on Mexican soil to conduct pre-inspection of those seeking admission to the United States. U.S. Border Patrol helicopters fly in Mexican airspace near the border and swoop down on individuals. (Doc. 18 at ¶ 24).
14. The Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol has acknowledged that U.S. border security policy “extends [the United States’] zone of security outward, ensuring that our physical border is not the first or last line of defense, but one of many.” Securing Our Borders — Operation Control and the Path Forward: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Border and Maritime Security of the H. Comm, on Homeland Security, 112th Cong. 8 (2011) (prepared by Michael J. Fisher, Chief of U.S. Border Patrol). (Doc. 18 at ¶ 24).

LEGAL STANDARD

“On a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), a court must assess whether the complaint ‘contains sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Chavez v. U.S., 683 F.3d 1102, 1108 (9th Cir.2012) (citing Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009); Bell Atl v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. at 1108— 09; see also Tellabs, Inc. v.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
111 F. Supp. 3d 1025, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167309, 2015 WL 8228162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rodriguez-v-swartz-azd-2015.