How many lawsuits have been filed against ICE for alleged civil rights abuses since 2020?

Checked on September 22, 2025
Disclaimer: Factually can make mistakes. Please verify important information or breaking news. Learn more.

This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.

Was this fact-check helpful?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided do not offer a comprehensive or definitive answer to the question of how many lawsuits have been filed against ICE for alleged civil rights abuses since 2020. However, specific instances of lawsuits are mentioned, such as the 'American Civil Liberties Union Foundation v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement' filed in April 2025, and a lawsuit filed by the family of Melvin Ariel Calero Mendoza in 2024 [1]. Other sources report on various lawsuits and legal challenges related to ICE operations, including a class-action lawsuit filed against the Trump administration for its policy of courthouse arrests in Northern California [2], and a lawsuit challenging Florida's authority to detain people at the notorious Florida Everglades detention center [3]. Despite these examples of legal action, none of the sources provide a total number of lawsuits filed against ICE for alleged civil rights abuses since 2020 [4] [5] [6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key piece of missing context is the comprehensive number of lawsuits filed against ICE since 2020, which is not provided by any of the sources [1] [4] [7]. Alternative viewpoints are also not fully represented, as the sources primarily focus on criticisms of ICE operations and legal challenges brought by civil rights groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [1] [2]. The perspective of ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is largely absent, except for sources that report on their operations and enforcement activities without providing information on lawsuits [4] [6]. Additionally, the broader context of immigration policy and its impact on civil rights abuses is not fully explored in the provided analyses [8] [9].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading due to its assumption that a comprehensive answer to the question of how many lawsuits have been filed against ICE for alleged civil rights abuses since 2020 can be found [1]. The sources provided do not offer a definitive answer, and the information available is fragmented and limited [4] [6]. The bias of the sources should also be considered, as many of the analyses are from organizations that have taken a critical stance towards ICE operations, such as the ACLU [1] [2]. This potential bias may influence the presentation of information and the selection of lawsuits reported on, which could impact the overall understanding of the issue [9] [3].

Want to dive deeper?
What are the most common allegations of civil rights abuses against ICE since 2020?
How many ICE agents have been charged with misconduct or civil rights abuses in the past 5 years?
What role does the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties play in investigating ICE abuses?
Can individuals file lawsuits against ICE for alleged civil rights abuses without an attorney?
What has been the outcome of notable ICE civil rights abuse lawsuits filed since 2020?