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US citizen construction worker detained repeatedly by ICE despite valid Alabama ID, sues DHS

Sep 21, 2026·Location: Foley, AL

Country of origin: Mexico

US citizen construction worker detained repeatedly by ICE despite valid Alabama ID, sues DHS
Photo via Instagram

Leonardo 'Leo' Garcia Venegas, a 25-year-old U.S.-born citizen of Mexican descent working construction in Baldwin County, Alabama, was detained by immigration agents multiple times beginning in May 2025 despite presenting a valid Alabama REAL ID. In the first incident, armed agents raided a Foley construction site, tackled his undocumented brother, and held Garcia Venegas handcuffed for over an hour after he began filming and asserted his citizenship; his brother was later deported. Weeks later, agents detained him again at another job site, again dismissing his ID as fake despite him also providing his Social Security card. In a third encounter, officers followed him home, pulled him from his vehicle, tackled him, and shackled him. Never charged with a crime, Garcia Venegas testified before Congress saying 'I don't feel free,' and filed a federal lawsuit with the Institute for Justice against DHS officials, including Tom Homan and Kristi Noem, alleging Fourth Amendment violations, assault, battery, and false arrest. A federal judge in the Southern District of Alabama denied the government's motion to dismiss and temporarily halted warrantless construction-site raids, a ruling Garcia Venegas called 'a huge blow to lawless enforcement practices.'

Timeline

Sep 21, 2026—Garcia Venegas testified before Congress about his detentions, saying 'I don't feel free.'
Sep 21, 2026—A federal judge in the Southern District of Alabama denied DHS's motion to dismiss and temporarily halted warrantless construction-site raids.
Jan 1, 2026—Officers followed him home to Fairhope/Silverhill, pulled him from his vehicle, tackled him, and shackled him during a third encounter.
Oct 26, 2025—Filed a federal lawsuit with the Institute for Justice against DHS officials alleging Fourth Amendment violations and civil rights abuses.
May 21, 2025—Detained a second time at a different job site after agents again questioned the validity of his Alabama ID.
May 1, 2025—Armed ICE agents raided a Foley, Alabama construction site, tackled his undocumented brother, and detained Garcia Venegas for over an hour despite his valid REAL ID.
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