Day laborers abused by off-duty CPD officers working as Home Depot security guards: lawsuit

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A lawsuit takes aim specifically at off-duty police officers working as security guards for Home Depot, alleging that they are purposely targeting day laborers, who are perceived to be recent Venezuelan migrants, for abuse and arrest.

Rallying outside of federal court on Tuesday, activists from Raise the Floor Alliance came out to decry what they say is a pattern of abuse against recent migrants seeking employment as day laborers, announcing the filing of lawsuit naming the Home Depot at West 45th Street and South Western Avenue along with at least two off-duty Chicago police officers who work security there.

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"Off-duty CPD officers are at the Home Depot and are targeting people based on their perceived race, ethnicity and national origin, and they are taking them from a public place and taking them inside of a store and using excessive force against them violating their rights," said Raise the Floor Alliance Attorney Jamitra Fulleord.

The lawsuit details five separate incidents beginning in October of last year, where they say recent South American migrants have been arrested and charged with criminal trespass after being detained and beaten by security guards hired by Home Depot, all while day laborers of other ethnicities are left alone.

Venezuelan William Giménez is one of the five plaintiffs named.

"I was punched in the face, in the chest, all because I was looking for work," said Giménez in Spanish.

Colombian Betuel Castro is also suing. He says he was punched in the face by a Home Depot security guard this past May. He was also later arrested and charged with criminal trespassing.

"He told me, 'You Venezuelans are ruining this country.' I told him I was Colombian, but he kept insisting I was Venezuelan and kept hitting me," Castro said in Spanish.

The lawsuit is seeking monetary compensation for the five migrant men who are named as plaintiffs, but is also calling on the Chicago Police Department to act.

"We're asking CPD to stop allowing its officers work secondary jobs as security," said Latino Union of Chicago Attorney Jamitra Fulleord.

The city Chicago did not comment on the lawsuit, which was only filed this morning.

A spokesperson for Home Depot released a statement after this story went to air, saying, "We take allegations of violence very seriously and are investigating this issue. We believe in respecting all people, and we don't tolerate violence or discrimination."

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, however, said they received a report from CPD's Bureau of Internal Affairs on Monday, and they have opened an investigation into the two officers named in the lawsuit.