A recent report reveals that hundreds of individuals detained at the Alligator Alcatraz immigration processing center in Florida have disappeared from federal records. Lawyers are accusing U.S. authorities of creating a detention “black hole” as detainees vanish from ICE’s online locator. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized ICE’s refusal to update detainee locations, which hinders attorney-client communication and undermines due process. By late August, around 800 detainees were no longer listed in ICE’s database, with others only showing the instruction to “Call ICE for details”.
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The legal team of Mahmoud Khalil has submitted a letter to the federal court in New Jersey, contesting an immigration judge’s denial of a waiver of removability. This decision, made in Louisiana, brings Mr. Khalil closer to deportation based on “misrepresentation” charges added after his detention. The letter argues the judge’s rushed decision, procedural irregularities, and reliance on government charges demonstrate retaliation for Mr. Khalil’s advocacy for Palestinian human rights. Khalil’s legal team is now challenging the immigration judge’s decision, alleging it is another attempt to silence him and violate his First Amendment rights.
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A federal judge has mandated that Mississippi redraw its Supreme Court electoral map due to its detrimental impact on the voting power of Black residents. The court found the current map, in place since 1987, violated the Voting Rights Act by splitting the Delta region, a historically Black area, and diminishing its influence. This ruling, supported by the ACLU, highlights a historic injustice and will necessitate the Mississippi Legislature to create a new map before future elections. It may serve as a precedent for challenging similar maps nationwide, emphasizing the importance of fair representation and equal voting rights for all Mississippians.
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A federal judge has issued a temporary order to halt immigration raids in Los Angeles and several other California counties, siding with the ACLU in a civil rights lawsuit. The ruling prohibits agents from making detentive stops based on factors like race, ethnicity, language spoken, or location, emphasizing the need for reasonable suspicion. The judge’s order also mandates access to legal counsel for detainees, addressing claims of constitutional violations by the Trump administration. While the Trump administration denies the claims, the ruling temporarily restrains specific practices and impacts the counties involved in the lawsuit.
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Opponents of President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship are pursuing new legal strategies to challenge it. The ACLU and immigration rights advocates have filed a class-action lawsuit arguing the order violates the Constitution, seeking an emergency restraining order. The suit, filed in New Hampshire, seeks to protect a class of babies and their parents, potentially filling gaps left by existing litigation. The legal move is an attempt to navigate a recent Supreme Court decision limiting sweeping injunctions, although justices have raised concerns about the use of nationwide class actions to challenge the order.
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Immigrant rights advocates swiftly filed a nationwide class action lawsuit challenging President Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship. This action was taken in direct response to a Supreme Court decision limiting nationwide injunctions against the order. The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU and other groups, alleges the administration is violating the Constitution, congressional intent, and Supreme Court precedent, seeking protections for affected babies and their parents. Constitutional experts and Rep. Jamie Raskin criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling and predicted the action of public interest groups would be to file a nationwide class action suit. This legal strategy follows the Supreme Court leaving the door open to other avenues to challenge the administration.
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The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a 14-year-old student who was allegedly humiliated by a teacher for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of U.S. support of Israel’s war in Gaza. The lawsuit claims the teacher told the student, whose family is of Palestinian descent, to leave the country, resulting in emotional distress. The ACLU argues that the student’s First Amendment rights were violated, seeking financial compensation, while the school district has stated they do not tolerate discrimination but declined further comment due to the ongoing litigation.
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On Friday, ICE deported two families, including three U.S. citizen children, one of whom was undergoing cancer treatment, along with a pregnant mother. The ACLU of Louisiana alleges these deportations violated due process, citing the families’ long-standing U.S. residency and lack of access to legal counsel. One mother was given less than a minute to contact legal aid before her call was cut off. This incident follows a similar case last month involving a child with brain cancer, raising serious concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
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The ACLU is urgently petitioning the Supreme Court, sounding the alarm that more deportations under the Alien Enemies Act are on the verge of happening. This isn’t just a legal matter; it’s a race against time to prevent what many perceive as imminent human rights violations.
The urgency of the situation is palpable. The fear is that these deportations will happen swiftly and secretly, perhaps even under the cover of a weekend, furthering concerns about due process. This clandestine approach fuels the perception of a deliberate attempt to circumvent judicial oversight and public scrutiny.
The Supreme Court has already issued an order temporarily halting these deportations, a move met with dissent from Justices Thomas and Alito.… Continue reading
Twelve students are suing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the head of the Pentagon school system for violating their First Amendment rights through widespread book bans targeting titles on race and gender. The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU, alleges that this censorship, stemming from Trump-era executive orders, harms students’ education and access to critical information. The bans affect DoDEA schools globally, impacting curriculum and even yearbook content. The plaintiffs seek the immediate reinstatement of removed books and curriculum materials.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood