Opinion ID: 78275
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Alien File

Text: Having concluded that the photographs and fingerprints at issue in this case are not suppressible, we turn finally to Farias-Gonzalez's challenge to the admissibility of his alien file, which contains his fingerprints, photograph, and deportation history. The leading case in this circuit on the suppression of an alien file is United States v. Martinez, 512 F.2d 830 (5th Cir. 1975). In Martinez, the defendant, who had been arrested lawfully, moved to suppress his alien file when an unlawful interrogation alerted the government to the fact that he might be in the country illegally. Id. at 831. The government then searched its I.N.S. files and found the defendant's alien file. Id. In Martinez, we held that an alien file is not suppressible when the government already knows the identity of the illegal alien and has his alien file in its possession. Id. at 832. We reasoned that an I.N.S. alien file was not the product of any unconstitutional activity because it already existed and was located in the records of a government agency. Id. Here, the Government knew the identity of Farias-Gonzalez and had his alien file in its possession. Accordingly, in this case the Government stands on the same footing as the government did in Martinez. Farias-Gonzalez argues that Martinez is distinguishable on the ground that no Fourth Amendment violation led to the discovery of Martinez's name and identity, as was the case here. Farias-Gonzalez argues the alien file was discovered only because the police unlawfully obtained Farias-Gonzalez's fingerprints and other identity-related evidence. In light of our holding that identity-related evidence is never suppressible, no constitutional violation present in this case distinguishes it from Martinez. Accordingly, the alien file is not suppressible in this case.