ICE sued for hiding where more than 16,000 detained immigrants are held

Four organizations that provide legal aid to immigrants sued the US government on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in a federal court in Boston.

They are asking a judge to stop an ICE policy, the immigration agency, that hides where thousands of detainees are being held.

What changed

Since 2010, lawyers and families have used an ICE online locator to find out which facility each detainee was in. It was key, because detainees are moved often.

In September, ICE removed people with final deportation orders from that locator. It also told its staff not to reveal where they are. According to the AP news agency, which first reported the change, this affected more than 16,000 of the nearly 69,000 people in detention.

About 1.4 million people in the United States have a final deportation order.

What the lawyers say

One of the plaintiffs is Greater Boston Legal Services. The organizations say that:

- They cannot find their clients. - Calls to ICE end in long waits, hang-ups or no answer. - Legal filings are delayed or missed.

They point out that, even with a deportation order, a detainee can ask to reopen their case or report abuses. According to the lawsuit, the policy violates administrative law and the First Amendment.

What the government says

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not publicly confirmed the change. They say they are prioritizing the deportation of people with final orders.

In a statement, the Department said detainees have several ways to communicate with their families and lawyers, and that deportation is the appropriate process. It denies making anyone disappear.

For now, the judge has not ruled.