Ohio Immigrants’ Rights Advocates File Class Action Suit Against ICE for Warrantless Arrests

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Today, the ACLU of Ohio, CRIS, ABLE-Ohio and local law firms filed a class action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for their unlawful practices and policies of conducting warrantless arrests without probable cause. The suit is brought on behalf of all persons who, since April 22, 2025, have been, or will be, arrested in Ohio for alleged immigration violations without a warrant and without an individualized assessment that the person poses a likelihood of escaping before a warrant can be obtained. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Federal law and longstanding precedent require that immigration enforcement agents must have probable cause to arrest an individual without a warrant. The Trump administration’s arbitrary mandate to arrest 3,000 immigrants each day has contributed to a culture of unlawful behavior by untrained, unqualified federal agents. The complaint notes that DHS has touted enforcement operations in Ohio as a success, arresting the “worst of the worst;” however, the overwhelming majority of immigrants detained in Ohio facilities lack any criminal record. Plain clothed, masked, armed agents are snatching Ohioans out of their lives and into jail, blatantly disregarding the requirements of federal law.

“The Trump administration is using ICE as a supersized deportation force to round up individuals who have steady jobs, cohesive families, strong ties to their community, and lack any criminal record,” added Freda Levenson, Chief Legal Officer for the ACLU of Ohio. “We urge the court to enjoin this cruel and unlawful abuse of our neighbors.”

"These practices are creating deep fear and instability in immigrant communities across Ohio," said Katie Kersh, Managing Attorney at ABLE. "People should not have to worry that plainclothes, masked federal agents will suddenly arrest them without legal justification. Federal agents must abide by the limits the law places on their authority."

"We are calling for immediate guardrails against unlawful ICE arrests that are systematically destabilizing immigrant communities, sowing widespread fear, and undermining the rule of law in Ohio," said Angie Plummer, Executive Director of CRIS. "Now more than ever, we must stand together to ensure the rights and safety of every resident are protected."

Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs John Marshall said, “Far from protecting our communities, federal agents are harming them by wantonly detaining law-abiding Ohioans going about their daily lives. This conduct is both illegal and morally reprehensible”

The legal groups urge the court to order Defendants to stop their policy and practice of making warrantless immigration arrests without an individualized determination of probable cause of escape risk.