ACLU Files National Claims Over Violent ICE Arrests

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a coordinated nationwide campaign involving 54 legal complaints across 17 states and the District of Columbia to hold the federal government accountable for immigration enforcement misconduct. The filings, submitted under the Federal Tort Claims Act, target the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies for alleged racial profiling, excessive force, and false imprisonment.

In Maine, the ACLU is seeking more than $5 million in damages for residents subjected to violent arrests. These claims, filed with the U.S. Department of Justice and customs agencies, allege that agents smashed car windows and held individuals in unlawful detentions for several weeks. This legal push coincides with new Maine laws restricting state and local police collaboration with federal immigration authorities.

In Vermont, the ACLU filed specific claims on behalf of Johana Patin Patin and José Estrada Jerez following a March 11 raid in South Burlington. The lawsuit alleges that ICE agents used excessive force and detained Patin Patin and Jerez despite their names not appearing on the arrest warrant used to enter the residence.