DHS faces lawsuit from conservative group over Biden-era request
A conservative group, the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), is taking legal action against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in an effort to obtain more transparency regarding the agency’s handling of criminal illegal immigrants during the Biden administration. The group is seeking records it requested in October about the release of data on noncitizens on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s non-detained docket with criminal backgrounds.
The data, which was shared with lawmakers in September, revealed that there were 425,431 convicted criminals on ICE’s non-detained docket, along with an additional 222,141 individuals with pending criminal charges. These included individuals convicted of assault, burglary, drug offenses, homicide, kidnapping, and sexual assault. Despite the alarming numbers, the Biden administration clarified that the data includes individuals who are not only free but also those who are incarcerated by federal, state, or local authorities but are not in ICE custody.
CASA’s lawsuit aims to compel DHS to release internal communications and records from ICE and Customs and Border Protection related to the data and its disclosure, including meeting requests, call logs, and communications with media outlets. The group had initially requested these documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request but did not receive a response from DHS, prompting the legal action.
James Fitzpatrick, director of CASA, emphasized the importance of transparency in the government’s handling of illegal aliens, especially those with serious criminal convictions. He stated that the lawsuit would force DHS to provide records and communications related to the release of these individuals into communities across the country.
It remains to be seen how DHS under the Trump administration will address the request, given the administration’s different approach to the release of illegal immigrants. The Trump administration had implemented policies to limit the release of migrants into the U.S., increase deportations, and house illegal immigrants without releasing them.
In light of these developments, Fox News Digital reported a significant increase in the arrests of illegal immigrants during the early weeks of the Trump administration compared to the same period under former President Biden. The ongoing legal battle between CASA and DHS underscores the complexity of immigration enforcement and the need for greater accountability and transparency in handling criminal illegal immigrants.
Adam Shaw, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering immigration and border security, can be contacted at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter for further information on this issue.
