Ten New Haven residents filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing federal agents of violating their rights with an immigration raid they contend was in retaliation for a new ID programme.

The sweeps in New Haven on June 6, 2007, came two days after the city approved issuing identification cards to all of its residents, regardless of immigration status - the first of its kind in the nation.

"The New Haven raids were not a product of routine immigration enforcement," the lawsuit states. It added that federal agents "deliberately chose to conduct raids in New Haven in retaliation for the city's efforts to improve public safety for all its residents by integrating immigrants and Latinos into civic life."

Early planning

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have denied that the early morning raids were retaliatory, saying planning began the year before.

The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court, cites emails between federal officials that the residents say show hostility to the ID card programme and an intent to stop it.

The lawsuit alleges ICE agents broke into homes without search warrants or consent and arrested residents based on their race or ethnicity.

Violation of rights

In June, a federal judge ruled that agents violated the constitutional rights of four immigrants in the raids. Immigration Judge Michael Straus said the ICE agents went into the immigrants' homes without warrants, probable cause or their consent, and he put a stop to deportation proceedings against the four defendants, whose names were not released.

Yale Law School students are representing the immigrants.

Of the 32 arrested, none remains in custody, according to the Yale students. Of the 19 that Yale represents, 4 agreed to leave the country, 10 are still fighting their cases and five won motions to suppress evidence, according to the students.