May 21, 2025·Southern Alabama, AL·Mexico
Leo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen from Baldwin County, Alabama who works in construction, has been detained by federal immigration agents three times since May 2025 despite presenting a valid REAL ID-compliant driver's license each time. During the first raid at a Foley, Alabama job site, masked agents stormed the site, tackled him, took his wallet, and kept him handcuffed for nearly an hour before confirming his citizenship. He was detained again weeks later at another construction site when officers refused to accept his REAL ID as proof of status. In early 2026, officers followed him home, confronted him in his driveway, pulled him from his car, tackled him, handcuffed him, shackled him, and locked him in a patrol car. Represented by the Institute for Justice, Venegas sued the Department of Homeland Security alleging Fourth Amendment violations, and a federal judge rejected a motion to dismiss and allowed the lawsuit to proceed.