Our client Leo Garcia Venegas and two other victims of DHS’s lawlessness got to introduce themselves to Secretary Noem today.
The room fell silent when they stood.
Running for office is a basic right in our democracy. Government officials can't use their power to intimidate people who run for office. Fernie ran against the County Attorney's wife and ended up being harassed out of the campaign: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZIN...
@kenwhite.bsky.social Is this one a RICO? oag.dc.gov/release/atto...
The TSA is directing its screeners to watch for cash and alert agents so they can take money with civil forfeiture. @ij.org's class action lawsuit revealed secret procedures that have existed for years. Read more here: ijupdate.substack.com/p/the-tsa-is...
Eric Andre’s Warrantless Search Was No Joke
In America, police can’t treat an innocent teenager walking near school like an armed threat over a minor theft.
And once officers realize they’ve detained the wrong person, the Constitution requires them to let him go immediately.
what’s unfolding in Minneapolis follows a pattern, but it’s fundamentally untrue that chaotic raids are only in blue areas that won’t work w/ICE
Agents in a FBI/ICE/local operation in Idaho violently detained citizens, broke car windows over kids & zip-tied a 14YO girl apnews.com/article/immi...
Leo is a U.S. citizen. They tackled him. They handcuffed him.
They ignored his REAL ID.
Weeks later, he was detained again.
Now, represented by IJ, Leo is fighting back, because if Americans must follow the law, the government must follow the Constitution.
More here: ij.org/case/alabama...
Today, @anneapplebaum.bsky.social with @theatlantic.com talks to @ij.org client George Retes about his ICE arrest and detention. A timely discussion about federal law enforcement: www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/202...
An innocent teen spent years in jail because a St. Paul detective lied to protect her witness in a bogus investigation. @ij.org has been fighting for justice for years and hasn't given up yet.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLp_...
Follow @ij.org and @kinger-dc.bsky.social, @pjaicomo.bsky.social, and @jaredmcclain.bsky.social for more updates on these and other cases.
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5) The Martin family won their case at the Supreme Court, reviving their lawsuit against the FBI over a wrong-house raid. But whether they can get their case to a jury now hinges on an appeals court in Atlanta. Argument in early March. ij.org/case/martin-...
4) Flying domestically with any amount of cash is legal, but the TSA and DEA treat innocent Americans like criminals and take their money without cause. A major hearing on the class action against abusive airport forfeitures will be held in early February. ij.org/case/dea-tsa...
3) We’re asking the US Supreme Court to put weight behind the Constitution’s prohibition on excessive fines. Can the state take a whole plane over a six-park of beer? We’ll know in the next few weeks if they decide to hear the case. ij.org/case/alaska-...
2) Our case against Norfolk, VA’s mass surveillance. Many cities are purchasing automated license plate readers that monitor innocent drivers. Can cities see your driving history without a warrant? ij.org/case/norfolk...
In the coming weeks, a federal district court will consider whether it should immediately halt warrantless, suspicionless enforcement actions on private construction sites. ij.org/case/alabama...
Welcome to 2026, here’s 5 @ij.org cases to watch this year. First up, our case against 4th Amendment violating immigration enforcement in Alabama.
Once again, DHS is lying about our client.
If George "assaulted law enforcement," they would've charged him with something during the 3 days he was detained.
They released him without charges. That doesn't happen if you assault someone.
My more than 100-day streak was broken on a Christmas Day because I forgot to try.
Now IJ is asking #SCOTUS to take up the case. When government officials serve themselves, breaking the Constitution and the law, people deserve justice.
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Shannon sued over the false arrest, pressing state and federal claims. The 5th Circuit gave the detective immunity saying that his actions "fell within the heartland of his role as a detective."
The conflict of interest doomed the case. After a lunch break, the prosecutors asked the case to be dropped "in the interest of justice." The charges against Shannon were also dropped.
In the trial for Shannon's bouncer, this "special relationship" between the detective and the neighboring business came to light. Here's the transcript: ij.org/wp-content/u...
That detective had worked for years for a business right across the street from the bar. That business had long wanted to see the bar shut down.
The officers assigned to the case did not press charges, but a Dallas detective in another department inserted himself into the investigation. He convinced prosecutors to charge Shannon and the bar's bouncer with "tampering with evidence."
One night, there were shots fired outside the bar. Shannon and his employees called the police and collected the shell casings. A few days later, the police came out and he handed the casings over.
Shannon runs a bar in north Dallas, The Green Elephant. It's well known as a home for underground music and has been beloved by generations of SMU students.
Here's a link to the petition: ij.org/wp-content/u...
NEW CERT PETITION: Shannon McKinnon was charged with a felony. But the case fell apart when it turned out the detective was secretly working for the complainant in the case. @ij.org is working to revive Shannon's lawsuit after the cop was given immunity. 🧵
Constitutional rights shouldn’t depend on a person's ability to pay.
That's why, at IJ, we never charge our clients a dime.
❤️ Join our fight for freedom and justice today: https://ij.org/monthly
