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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 9h

To join IJ's fight against unconstitutional detentions and other abuses of government power, visit the link below:

Support IJ: Alabama Construction Site Raids - Institute for Justice

Join the Fight Against Unconstitutional Detentions and Other Abuses of Government Power Leo Garcia Venegas is an American citizen born to Mexican national parents. Like […]

ij.org

Institute for Justice @ij.org · 9h

These cases aren't about whether the government can enforce immigration laws.

They're about whether or not the government has to follow the Constitution when it does.

IJ is fighting back.

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 9h

George Retes was arrested by immigration enforcement and held for three days without being able to contact anyone.

George is a veteran and citizen.

A U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE for Three Days Tells His Story

A conversation with George Retes, an Army veteran swept up in a California raid

www.theatlantic.com

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 9h

DHS officials arrested American citizen Leo Venegas TWICE without justification and despite his presentation of REAL ID.

Alabama Construction Site Raids - Institute for Justice

Leonardo Garcia Venegas is an American citizen twice detained by immigration agents in warrantless raids on private property. So, Leo has partnered with the Institute for Justice to file a federal cla...

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 9h

US citizens across the country have been caught up in immigration raids, arrested, and detained.

How do they get justice when their constitutional rights have been violated?
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 11h

NEW: The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did.

We found more than 170 such incidents since the start of the second Trump administration. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes nearly 20 children, two of whom have cancer.

More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...

www.propublica.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 12h

Now available in a variety of powerful formulations:

💊 Qualified Immunity
💊 Absolute Immunity
💊 Municipal Immunity
💊 Prosecutorial Immunity
💊 Judicial Immunity

Take your pick — there’s a dose for every level of power.

Immunity™: It stops accountability dead.

Introducing Immunity™: The Legal Drug That Erases Consequences

YouTube video by Institute for Justice

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Anthony Sanders @ijsanders.bsky.social · 8d

Chicago folks: I'll be speaking at this as will 2 of my @ij.org colleagues. Come join us!

State Court Report @statecourtreport.org · 23d

SAVE THE DATE: Nov. 6-7, we're hosting a symposium with @brennancenter.org and Northwestern University Law Review exploring the future of state constitutional rights. Virtual and in-person registration options are available, and IL CLE credit is pending for in-person participants. Register today:

The Power of State Constitutional Rights

Judges, practitioners, and scholars explore critical issues facing state courts and constitutions.

brennan.swoogo.com

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 1d

Final Victory: Following Sylvia Gonzalez's landmark #SupremeCourt win in 2024, Castle Hills, Texas, City Council agreed to:

👉 Mandatory First Amendment training for Castle Hills officials
👉 $500,000 in damages to Sylvia

Final Victory: Castle Hills Vote Confirms Sylvia Gonzalez’s Win Against Retaliation - Institute for Justice

Last night, the Castle Hills, Texas, City Council voted to ratify a settlement agreement that brings to an end the years-long lawsuit filed by former […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 9d

Immunity for Arresting the Wrong Woman? Court Says NO!

Learn more about this case here: https://ij.org/case/florida-mistaken-identity-arrest/

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 16d

Leo is an American citizen.

If being American means anything, it’s that he should be free to work without worrying that the government will raid the property without a warrant and arrest him for doing nothing wrong.

Watch Leo's video here:

Innocent CITIZEN Arrested TWICE by ICE

YouTube video by Institute for Justice

youtu.be

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 16d

Even when Leo presents his Alabama-issued REAL ID, officers reject it as fake.

Today, to stop the violations of his and other construction workers’ Fourth Amendment rights, Leo filed a federal class-action lawsuit with the Institute for Justice.
ij.org/case/alabama...

Alabama Construction Site Raids - Institute for Justice

Earning an honest living is fundamental to being an American. What’s deeply un-American is the government using masked agents to harass hard-working Americans at work. […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 16d

🚨 New Case Alert 🚨
Leo Garcia Venegas is an American citizen and construction worker in south Alabama.

Even though he has done nothing suspicious and is working on private property, Leo has been repeatedly detained (once violently) by federal officers enforcing immigration laws.
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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Short Circuit @shortcircuitij.bsky.social · 20d

Our Latest Podcast: Won't You Take Me To YIMBYTown?

Recorded before a live audience at @yimbytown.bsky.social 2025! With @profschleich.bsky.social @andrewdfine.bsky.social & Ari Bargil of @ij.org!

ij.org/podcasts/sho...

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 21d

Army Vet Sues DEA to Return His $8500 (He Won!)

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 21d

“If the government can use eminent domain just based on the hope it comes up with a plan in the future, no one’s property is safe.

"Fortunately for the Marshalls—and for all of us—the Constitution demands more,” said IJ Senior Attorney Jeffrey Redfern.

Learn more here: ij.org/case/freepor...

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 21d

The Port has attempted to acquire and destroy most of the city’s historic East End neighborhood.

But, as the court notes, it “never could identify a specific public use” + “admitted that it did not have any specific plans for what will be developed”—a requirement for any use of #EminentDomain.

Victory! Court Rules in Favor of Historically Black Community of Freeport, Texas to Keep Their Land in Battle with Port and Eminent Domain - Institute for Justice

Freeport, Tx.—Today the Texas 14th Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by the Port of Freeport to use eminent domain to seize land from a […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 21d

Victory in Freeport, Texas!

Last week, the Texas 14th Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by the Port of Freeport to use #EminentDomain to seize land from a group of property owners in Freeport’s historically Black community.
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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · Sep 11

Here’s a story that’s becoming all too common: federal immigration agents using racial and ethnic profiling as a rationale for stopping, questioning and detaining U.S. citizens who they suspect are undocumented.

A U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE for Three Days Tells His Story

A conversation with George Retes, an Army veteran swept up in a California raid

www.theatlantic.com

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Sep 9

Last September, Jennifer teamed up with IJ to hold Broward County and its officials responsible for their mistakes and to ensure that this nightmare does not happen to someone else.

Yesterday, we won!

Victory: Broward County Officers Not Entitled to Qualified Immunity for Arresting Innocent Woman in Case of Mistaken Identity - Institute for Justice

MIAMI—On Wednesday, United States District Court Judge Melissa Damian ruled a Texas woman’s lawsuit against the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and several deputies of the […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Sep 9

Despite the discrepancies, Jennifer was held in jail for 3 days—causing her to miss Christmas + her final chance to see her son before his deployment.

Her wrongful arrest & detention violated the #4thAmendment’s right to be free from unreasonable seizures & the constitutional right to due process.

Florida Mistaken Identity Arrest - Institute for Justice

An innocent Texas woman was arrested in a case of mistaken identity while getting off a cruise in 2022. Now, she's suing Broward County for the unconstitutional arrest.

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Sep 9

Christmas Eve 2022, Jennifer Heath Box was wrongfully arrested by #BrowardCounty, Florida Sheriff’s deputies.

The warrant was for Jennifer *Delcarmen* Heath, who was a different ethnicity, 23 years younger, 5" shorter, and had different hair and eye color.

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Sep 9

VICTORY: Officers Denied #QualifiedImmunity for Arresting and Jailing Woman at Christmas
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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jul 7

This law not only infringes on the #FirstAmendment rights of journalists, but of all Louisianans.

Last week, IJ submitted an amicus brief urging the 5th Circuit to uphold a lower court ruling that blocks law enforcement from enforcing Louisiana’s “police buffer law.”

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jul 7

An unconstitutional Louisiana law creates a 25-foot "buffer zone" around any police activity—even if you're just filming.

But the #1stAmendment protects the right of people to observe actions being taken by government officials without fear of prosecution.
🧵

Public Interest Law Firm Joins First Amendment Fight Against Louisiana’s ‘Buffer Law’ - Institute for Justice

Amicus brief calls on court to uphold a lower court ruling that blocks law enforcement from enforcing Louisiana’s “police buffer law.”

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jul 7

U.S Marshals put Penny McCarthy through 2 days of hell because of their reckless investigation.

Now Penny has teamed up with the IJ to hold the officers and the U.S. government accountable and to guard against this nightmare happening to someone else.

More here: ij.org/case/arizona...

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