U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been accused of routinely withholding immigrants' identification documents, cell phones, car keys and other personal belongings for months after releasing them from detention, according to a class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., alleges that ICE has maintained an unlawful practice of retaining property seized during civil immigration arrests, even when there is no legitimate reason to keep it, Courthouse News Service reported October 13.
