ACLU Sues Over Immigration Raid at Latino Community Racetrack

Lawsuit claims hundreds of attendees were unlawfully detained at October 2025 event in Wilder, Idaho.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a proposed class action lawsuit on behalf of Latino families who claim they were unlawfully detained during an immigration raid at a horse race event called La Catedral in Wilder, Idaho in October 2025. According to the complaint, federal, state, and local officers rounded up hundreds of attendees and held them on the racetrack for four hours without providing access to legal counsel or basic necessities.

Why it matters

The lawsuit alleges the raid violated the Fourth and 14th Amendment rights of the Latino attendees, raising concerns about racial profiling and the treatment of immigrant communities by law enforcement. The case could set precedents around the limits of immigration enforcement actions at public events.

The details

The ACLU claims officers detained all attendees at the La Catedral horse race in Wilder, Idaho on October 18, 2025, holding them on the racetrack for four hours without access to legal counsel, food, water, or bathroom facilities. The lawsuit alleges the mass detention was conducted without probable cause or reasonable suspicion that any specific individual had committed a crime.

  • The immigration raid occurred on October 18, 2025 at the La Catedral horse race event in Wilder, Idaho.
  • The ACLU filed the proposed class action lawsuit on February 11, 2026.

The players

American Civil Liberties Union

A non-profit organization dedicated to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States.

La Catedral

A horse race event held in Wilder, Idaho that caters to the local Latino community.

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What they’re saying

“The mass detention of hundreds of people based solely on their perceived race or ethnicity is a clear violation of fundamental constitutional rights.”

— Vera Eidelman, ACLU Staff Attorney

What’s next

The ACLU is seeking class certification for the lawsuit, which would allow it to represent all attendees detained at the La Catedral event. A judge will decide whether to grant class certification in the coming months.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement and civil liberties, with the ACLU arguing that the mass detention of Latino attendees at a community event amounts to unconstitutional racial profiling. The outcome could set important precedents around the limits of immigration raids and the rights of immigrant communities.