US Citizen Sues After Three Immigration Detentions in Alabama
Leonardo Garcia Venegas sued after being detained thrice by immigration agents despite proving citizenship.
Why it matters: This lawsuit raises critical questions on immigration enforcement practices that may infringe constitutional rights of US citizens. Legal pros should watch for impacts on compliance and civil rights cases.
- Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a Florida-born US citizen, was detained three times in Alabama within a year despite showing his REAL ID.
- In May 2025, agents detained him during a construction-site raid in Foley, Alabama, initially rejecting his REAL ID as fake until he provided his Social Security number.
- On September 30, 2025, Garcia Venegas filed a class-action suit in the US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama alleging assault, battery, false arrest, and seeking an injunction against ongoing detentions.
- A federal court hearing in Mobile, Alabama, on May 27, 2026, reviewed his request to bar the Department of Homeland Security from further detaining US citizens without cause.
Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a US citizen born in Florida, has challenged immigration enforcement after being detained multiple times by agents in Alabama despite presenting valid identification.
In a May 2025 immigration raid at a Foley, Alabama construction site, officers detained Garcia Venegas. They initially dismissed his Alabama REAL ID as fake and released him only after he provided his Social Security number. This marked one of three such detentions over approximately a year.
On September 30, 2025, Garcia Venegas filed a class-action complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. His suit accuses government agents of assault, battery, and false arrest, seeking monetary damages and a court order to stop what he describes as unconstitutional immigration detentions.
At a hearing on May 27, 2026 in Mobile, Alabama, a federal judge considered Garcia Venegas's request to enjoin the Department of Homeland Security from continuing enforcement actions that detain US citizens without cause. An injunction is a court order to prevent such future actions.
"It feels like agents can arrest me anytime without cause. I just want to work in peace. The Constitution protects that right," Garcia Venegas told reporters.
Attorney Jaba Tsitsuashvili of the Institute for Justice remarked, "Immigration officers must follow the law. Leo is standing up for every American's right to work without unlawful detention."
This developing litigation raises important compliance issues for legal teams advising clients and policymakers regarding immigration enforcement practices and constitutional protections for US citizens.
By the numbers:
- 3 — times Garcia Venegas was detained despite proving citizenship
- May 27, 2026 — federal court hearing on injunction request
- September 30, 2025 — date Garcia Venegas filed class-action lawsuit
Yes, but: While the lawsuit challenges ongoing immigration enforcement practices, agency officials have not publicly responded, leaving outcomes and potential policy changes uncertain.
What's next: A ruling on Garcia Venegas’s injunction request is expected following the May 2026 hearing, which could set precedent for immigration detentions of US citizens.