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Feds Admit No Wrongdoing For Illegal Imprisonment

DENVER (AP) - Federal immigration officials say they admit no wrongdoing on claims a man was illegally held in jail while authorities investigated his immigration status.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said Wednesday that it settled the lawsuit with the man, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, to avoid protracted litigation.

The ACLU said Tuesday that the federal government agreed to settle the case for $50,000.

Luis Quezada was arrested in May 2009 after failing to appear in court on traffic charges. ICE asked the Jefferson County jail to hold him for 48 hours but Quezada said he remained in custody for 47 days after the hold expired.

The ACLU has also filed a lawsuit against Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink, which is still pending.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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