Filed Date: Jan. 14, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is a lawsuit seeking information about an alleged new policy memo, issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 9, 2025, drastically expanding the use of ankle monitors on people enrolled in the agency's Alternatives to Detention program.
On January 14, 2026, two nonprofit organizations, Carolina Migrant Network and Amica Center for Immigratnt Rights, that provide legal services for people in removal proceedings and ICE custody, respectively, brought this suit against ICE in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. They cited newspaper reports that ICE had issued a policy memo on June 9, 2025, ordering staff to place ankle monitors on all people enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, "whenever possible," with the exception of pregnant women for whom wrist-worn tracking devices would be used instead, and, generally, increasing reporting requirements. On October 28, 2025, the plaintiffs had submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to ICE seeking records related to the June 9, 2025 memorandum or guidance regarding the Alternatives to Detention program and use of ankle or wrist monitors, as well as records regarding implementation, procedures, and guidance related to the memorandum. On November 21, 2025, ICE informed the plaintiffs that it was denying their accompanying requests for expedited processing and a fee waiver, but as of the time of filing had not provided records responsive to the FOIA request. The lawsuit claimed that ICE had failed to make a determination or respond to the FOIA request within the statutory deadline, constructively denying the request, failed to conduct an adequate search, and wrongfully withheld non-exempt agency records, all in violation of FOIA. Plaintiffs further asserted that ICE had improperly failed to publish its current guidance on Alternatives to Detention, including the June 9 memorandum, in the Federal Register in violation of FOIA and therefore could not apply that guidance to the public. Finally, plaintiffs challenged under FOIA the denial of their request for expedited processing and a fee waiver. They sought: declaratory relief; an injunction requiring ICE to begin searching for records responsive to the plaintiffs' request, to do so expeditiously, to grant the requested fee waiver, to prepare an index for any documents it sought to withhold as exempt, to stop withhold non-exempt records, and to publish its current guidance, policies, memoranda and instructions; retention of jurisdiction to ensure that no agency documents were improperly withheld; fees and costs. The case was assigned to Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr.
The lawsuit is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Clearinghouse (2/4/2023)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72141457/parties/carolina-migrant-network-v-immigration-customs-enforcement/
Cogburn, Max Oliver (North Carolina)
Benz, Frederick Evan (North Carolina)
Melo, Daniel (North Carolina)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72141457/carolina-migrant-network-v-immigration-customs-enforcement/
Last updated March 15, 2026, 4:26 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Key Dates
Filing Date: Jan. 14, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
two non-profit legal services organizations
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S.C. § 552
Other Dockets:
Western District of North Carolina 3:26-cv-00028
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Immigration/Border:
Case Summary of Carolina Migrant Network v. Immigration Customs Enforcement, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47715/ (last updated 2/4/2023).