No Crime but Prejudice: Fischer Homes, the Immigration Fiasco, and Extra-Judicial Prosecution

What happens to the lives of the innocent when prosecutors abuse their power to further their careers or cater to political expediency? Henry Fischer knows first hand. He owns the largest independent homebuilding company in the Cincinnati region, and is one of the country’s top 100 builders. On May 9th, 2006, police and military helicopters swooped down upon the construction sites overseen by Fischer Homes, as swat teams arrested Hispanic-looking workers arriving for the day. Separate police teams targeted Fischer construction superintendents, handcuffing them at their homes, and at company headquarters, agents carted off thousands of company records. Thus began a three-year nightmare for Fischer. Despite facing public humiliation and possible financial ruin, he fought the harsh tactics of politically driven prosecutorial antagonistsand he won. This story raises issues about the politics of prosecution. It’s a story of David vs. Goliath and surprisingly, once again, David prevailed.