May 21, 2025·Southern Alabama, AL·Mexico
Leo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen and construction worker from Baldwin County, Alabama, has been detained by federal immigration agents three times since May 2025, each time while carrying a valid REAL ID-compliant Alabama driver's license. During the first incident at a Foley, Alabama job site, masked and armed agents stormed the site, tackled him, took his wallet, and kept him handcuffed for nearly an hour, releasing him only after confirming his Social Security number. About three weeks later, he was detained again at a different job site after officers again questioned whether his ID was fake. In early 2026, officers followed him home, confronted him in his driveway, pulled him from his car, tackled him, and handcuffed and shackled him before locking 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, allowing the lawsuit to proceed.