Fire rises

Hells Angels, the infamous motorcycle group from southern California, are filing suit in federal court against the United States. The dispute stands over the US’s ban of foreign members of the gang entering the country. Members of the Hells Angels have been convicted of multiple crimes, including drug trafficking, extortion, and other felonies in North America, South America, Europe.  The U.S. has classified the Hells Angels as a “known criminal organization,” but due to the suit the government is in the process of fielding the request for an injunction in which they cannot associate the Hell’s Angels with violence and crime.

The Hells Angels, who define themselves as “motorcycle enthusiasts” do not feel that their members should be discriminated against.  The motorcycle group argues that criminals and club members are not mutually exclusive and they do not condone unlawful activity.  They have filed suit with the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, Citizenship and Immigration Service Department.

There are a few different issues that arise here, specifically concerning discrimination. I think both sides have valid points.  The government should definitely be monitoring suspicious activity from a group that has trafficked drugs from one country to the next.  Still, there is a lot of gray area as to what is legal and what is not legal. I imagine that the Hells Angels’ lawyers will build a case around the negative profiling of their members and use that as a defense.  It will definitely make a strong debate from the Hells Angels side to make sure that none of their members get burned.