ACLU Foundation of Northern California v. ICE (Detainee Transport)

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit on July 10, 2018 demanding records related to the treatment of immigration detainees by ICE, particularly transportation by contractor G4S Secure Solutions.

In regions throughout the country, ICE subcontracts with G4S to transport immigration detainees. G4S is a private contractor that has been criticized for its treatment of detainees.

In California, ICE regularly subjects detained immigrants to burdensome and lengthy voyages, fully shackled with limited access to food, water, and toilets. 

The federal government’s concerted and ongoing efforts to detain individuals, to transport them to detention centers throughout the country, and to increase the use of private contractors create an urgent need to obtain information and records about relationships with those contractors, the policies and procedures they are subject to, and the detention and transport practices.

The ACLU Foundation of Northern California first sought this information through FOIA requests submitted to ICE on December 18, 2017, and April 6, 2018. When ICE failed to respond to the requests within the time required by the law, a suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in July 2019.

In September 2019, Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler ordered production of documents to be increased per month, commencing in October. The case is currently ongoing discovery. Please contact Vasudha Talla for more information. 

Read More:

ACLU Files Abuse Claims, Seeks Information on ICE Transport Contracts (July, 10, 2018)

ACLU Sues ICE Contractor, Calls for Investigation of Abuse of Women Immigrants (May 21, 2019) 

Liborio Ramos v. G4S Secure Solutions (Detainee Transport)