Legal Groups Sue to Block Secret Detainee Locations

Four legal service groups filed a federal lawsuit in Boston on Wednesday to block a Trump administration policy that hides the locations of detainees with final deportation orders. Implemented last month to expedite removals, the policy removed over 16,000 individuals from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Online Detainee Locator System and instructed staff to keep their whereabouts secret.

Greater Boston Legal Services and three other plaintiff groups argue the move is "unlawful and inhumane." They claim the policy violates the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act by preventing lawyers from locating clients to challenge their detention or seek legal relief.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE have not publicly confirmed the specific policy change but stated they are prioritizing the deportation of those with final removal orders. DHS defended the practice, asserting that detainees maintain several ways to communicate with family and lawyers and that removal is the appropriate process for those with final orders.