PORTLAND, Maine — Civil liberties groups in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are suing the federal government for records of immigration enforcement actions.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday by ACLU affiliates targets the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agencies are accused of failing to provide records of raids and arrests under the Freedom of Information Act.
Lia Ernst, attorney for ACLU of Vermont, accuses the agencies of operating with little transparency and oversight, and of violating civil rights “with impunity.”
The request for documents dates back to September 2017.
The ACLU complaint contends immigration arrests have increased nearly 38 percent in the first 100 days of the Trump administration.
Representatives of the three agencies say they don’t comment on pending litigation.
