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News Analysis · October 28, 2026

Immigrant groups sue to block ICE from withholding detainee locations

Permanent article number: 102826028   Find another article by number

By Radical Reading Room Newsroom · Published · From the October 28, 2026 edition

A new lawsuit challenges ICE’s reported removal of detainee locations from its online locator, with the agencies not publicly confirming the change. Confidence 3/5

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Published by: Just the News

Immigrant advocates sue Trump admin to block ICE from hiding locations of some detainees — Read the exact original

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Immigrant groups sue to block ICE from withholding detainee locations

Immigrant legal-services groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to stop the Trump administration from withholding the locations of detainees with final deportation orders. The case challenges a policy that, according to the lawsuit, makes it difficult or impossible for attorneys to find clients in ICE custody.

The reports say the policy was adopted last month to expedite deportations. Under the challenged change, ICE removed the locations of people with final removal orders from its Online Detainee Locator System and instructed staff not to disclose their whereabouts.

As of last month, the policy affected more than 16,000 of nearly 69,000 people held in ICE custody. The lawsuit argues that withholding locations interferes with lawyers’ ability to represent immigrants and asks a judge to block the change. The groups characterize the policy as unlawful and inhumane.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security has publicly confirmed the change, the reports say. The agencies have said they are prioritizing people with final removal orders for deportation. The lawsuit seeks to block the policy, while the agencies’ public position on the specific locator change remains unconfirmed.

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