The OJPC calls for accountability for federal agents

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A nonprofit law firm based in Ohio is calling for a change in the Civil Rights Act in the wake of two deaths by federal agents.

The Ohio Justice and Policy Center (OJPC) has called on federal lawmakers to update a law that allows people to sue government actors who violate their constitutional rights.

“There’s a big loophole though in that law, Section 1983, cannot be used to hold accountable federal law enforcement. What that means is that person whose rights have been violated can bring someone into court if they are, you know, a sheriff, a police officer, to essentially assert their rights to gain potential vindication,” said OJPC’s CEO, Gabe Davis.  “They can’t do that if the agent who violated their rights or the official is a federal agent. We want to fix that. We think 1983 ought to be updated and ought to be expanded.”

This call to action was motivated by the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot by federal agents in Minneapolis in January. In light of the current negotiations for DHS funding in Washington and a U.S. district judge’s order that maintains the temporary protected status of Haitian people, Davis has hope for the future.

“We’ve got huge challenges and we’ve seen loss of life and there’s much to fight against and to try and fight for,” Davis said. “But I still have hope, especially during this season. I mentioned it’s Black History Month and we’ve seen great triumphs in the past against efforts to really role back rights and I’m hopeful that if we push back hard enough and if we fight hard enough and if we come together, then we can protect our communities that are valnerable and ensure that equal justice under law is something that is a reality for all of us who live here and call this state home.”

Ohio has become a part of the immigration conversation as potential ICE operations could take place in Springfield, which is home to around 13,000 Haitian people.