ACLU files lawsuit against Trump administration over wrongful deaths of 2 Trinidadians killed in boat attacks linked to drug violence

ACLU Files Lawsuit Over Boat Attack in Operation Southern Spear

The ACLU is at the forefront of a legal battle involving the families of two Trinidadian men who were killed during a boat attack on October 14 as part of Operation Southern Spear. They are accusing the Trump administration of wrongful death and extrajudicial killing, arguing that the men were innocent passengers on what the Pentagon claims was a drug-trafficking vessel.

Chad Joseph, aged 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41, were making their way from Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago when their boat was struck in what is reportedly one of 36 attacks targeting vessels linked to drug trafficking. A complaint was filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

The lawsuit is backed by Joseph’s mother, Lenore Burnley, and Samaroo’s sister, Sarika Kolasin, along with support from the Center for Constitutional Rights, citing both U.S. and international law.

The complaint argues that the two men posed no immediate threat and were unlawfully targeted, referencing the Death on the High Seas Act, which permits relatives to seek compensation for wrongful death on international waters, as well as the Alien Tort Act, which allows non-U.S. citizens to sue in American courts for international law violations.

According to the suit, the attack constituted a breach of both domestic laws and international human rights standards since neither Joseph nor Samaroo presented an imminent danger. The families contend that no evidence linking the men to any drug trafficking or cartel activities has been provided.

They are seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

The White House has rejected the allegations made in the lawsuit.

Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated, “The October 14th airstrike was executed against a designated narco-terrorist who introduced dangerous substances to our shores.” She further emphasized, “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to take decisive action against the rampant illegal drug trade that has led to the needless deaths of innocent Americans.”