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The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania is suing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seeking information about the federal agency’s use of administrative subpoenas to intimidate and “unmask” Montgomery County residents who criticize and monitor federal immigration enforcement activities.
The organization filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act in February, asking ICE to share relevant memos and records related to the “unmasking” subpoenas from 2024 to present. ICE didn’t respond to the request or confirm receipt, attorneys for the ACLU of Pennsylvania said.
In response, the organization filed a lawsuit April 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, asking for the court to order ICE to do a full and complete search of its records.
“We intend to use this lawsuit to gather necessary information to hold the government to account for using these unmasking subpoenas in a way that chills people’s First Amendment rights,” said Ari Shapell, staff attorney at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “If we, once we get records that are responsive, we plan to share them with the public and with other advocates and academics who are studying ICE’s overreach.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.