A coalition of legal services organizations filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in October 2026, challenging a federal policy that hides the locations of thousands of people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Rian Immigrant Center, and Greater Boston Legal Services. These organizations argue that the policy unlawfully interferes with communication between detainees, their lawyers, and their families, blocking the groups from providing legal services to potential and current clients.
Changes to Detainee Tracking
For more than 16 years, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided the locations of detained noncitizens through its Online Detainee Locator System. However, in September 2026, DHS stopped sharing the locations of individuals who have final orders of removal, whether through the online system or via direct queries from attorneys and family members.
The plaintiffs claim this “policy of mass disappearance” serves the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign by restricting access to the judicial system and legal counsel. This makes it harder for detainees to challenge unlawful detention or seek legal pathways to stay in the U.S., despite the fact that those with final removal orders may still have legal remedies available to them.
Lawsuit Claims Policy Violates Several Federal Laws
The complaint alleges that the implementation of the policy is arbitrary and capricious, constituting a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. The lawsuit also alleges that the policy violates the First Amendment and the Freedom of Information Act, because the government did not publish details regarding the new policy.
Represented by the ACLU of Massachusetts, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Project, the National Immigration Law Center, and Annelise Araujo Law, the plaintiffs are asking the court to vacate the policy. They intend to file a motion to stay the policy while the legal proceedings continue.
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