Lawsuit Alleges ICE Racially Profiles Immigrants in New York

Coalition of groups sues DHS, claiming federal agents are arresting people solely based on race or ethnicity

Apr. 9, 2026 at 7:05pm

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A dynamic, abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and figures in bold colors, conveying a sense of motion and confrontation around civil liberties issues.A fractured, high-energy illustration captures the confrontational nature of federal immigration enforcement tactics and their impact on immigrant communities.NYC Today

A coalition of civil rights groups has filed a class action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging that ICE and other federal agencies are unlawfully arresting immigrants in New York solely based on their race or ethnicity. The lawsuit cites several specific incidents where immigrants were detained without probable cause, as well as data showing that 800 New Yorkers not targeted by immigration officers were arrested, with 85% having no prior criminal record.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights growing concerns over racial profiling and civil rights violations by federal immigration enforcement, which have intensified since a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that allows agents to use factors like language and ethnicity as part of determining immigration status. This has led to the coining of the term 'Kavanaugh stops' to describe the street arrests of immigrants based on their appearance.

The details

The lawsuit was filed by the New York ACLU, Make the Road New York, and the Legal Aid Society on behalf of eight immigrants who were allegedly arrested and detained without probable cause. It documents cases where individuals were surrounded by federal agents and handcuffed, including a 41-year-old man arrested while watching a game of dominoes and a 36-year-old Hispanic man arrested entering his apartment building. The Department of Homeland Security claims it makes arrests based on reasonable suspicion, but the lawsuit alleges agents are routinely stopping Latinos 'for no other reason than their appearance and the language they are speaking.'

  • The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, April 9, 2026.
  • The incidents described in the lawsuit occurred between October 2025 and March 2026.

The players

New York ACLU

A civil rights organization that is part of the coalition suing the Department of Homeland Security over alleged racial profiling by ICE.

Make the Road New York

A grassroots organization that advocates for immigrant rights and is part of the coalition suing the Department of Homeland Security.

Legal Aid Society

A nonprofit legal services organization that is part of the coalition suing the Department of Homeland Security over alleged racial profiling by ICE.

Juan Carlos Quintero

A 41-year-old immigrant who was arrested while watching a game of dominoes in Staten Island, according to the lawsuit.

Brett Kavanaugh

A U.S. Supreme Court Justice who wrote a 2025 concurring opinion that federal immigration officials may use factors such as language, ethnicity or work as one factor in determining immigration status.

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What’s next

The lawsuit is seeking class action status and a court order to prohibit ICE and other federal agencies from using race or ethnicity as the sole basis for immigration arrests in New York.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tensions between immigrant communities and federal immigration enforcement, with allegations of civil rights violations and racial profiling raising concerns about the impact on New York's diverse population. The case could set an important precedent for how immigration agents can use factors like appearance and language in making arrests.