Federal lawsuit accuses DHS and DOJ of intimidating immigration-watch observers nationwide
Observer Michael Khalili and the nonprofit Common Cause have filed a federal suit claiming the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, FBI and other agencies violated First Amendment and privacy rights by intimidating people who monitor ICE operations across several states.
After months of tracking ICE trucks in Minneapolis, Michael Khalili halted his observations following repeated confrontations with federal officers, a revoked Global Entry status and threats of criminal charges. He has now become a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed with Common Cause that accuses the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, FBI and related agencies of breaching First Amendment and privacy protections.
The 94-page complaint details incidents in Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey and other states, including photography, following, pepper-spraying, and threats of home visits, as well as the use of facial-recognition databases. It cites Trump-era directives, such as National Security Presidential Memorandum 7, that linked immigration-enforcement opposition to domestic terrorism, and notes the removal of DHS safeguards that previously limited such surveillance.
The plaintiffs request a federal court in Washington, D.C., to bar any federal retaliation against citizens who peacefully observe immigration officers. The case builds on earlier, smaller lawsuits by observers and aims to establish nationwide relief.
Why it matters
The case could curb government intimidation of citizens monitoring immigration enforcement and reinforce First Amendment protections.
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