Thank you, Patriot!
In fact there are really few legal grounds to detain a diplomat(being captured red-handed on a murder scene and some very similar situations), and none to arrest one without certain authorisation by a nation or recognized international body which is represented by said person.
Underpaying nunny is actually a ridiculous charge to arrest any person, let alone a diplomat from a friendly nation.
NYC might be an absolute police state, I don’t think a case of underpaying a nunny may pass beyond a civil dispute even in Red China.
This was a federal arrest.
I don’t think a case of underpaying a nunny may pass beyond a civil dispute even in Red China.
They also had her on a charge of causing a false visa application to be filed for the nanny (it said she would be paid $4500 per month, when the actual arrangement was 30,000 rupees ($573 at the time)). But you are right. You do not arrest and strip-search diplomats. You expel them. To do otherwise is to expose US diplomats abroad to trumped up prosecution.
New Yorkers are quite aware of the privileges of foreign diplomatic staff, and the police authorities have usually only taken action for major crimes by complaint to State, who work out a solution with the government of the offending diplomat. The most serious action, until this incident has been the recall or forced recall of said diplomat home, for disposition according to their law.
It seems the US is abdicating it's leadership in diplomacy and statesmanship, as these procedures are what has been able to bring nations into communication by trust.