ICE Civil Fines on Sanctuary Leaders
In 2018 ICE targeted a small number of other outspoken immigrant leaders living in sanctuary churches with exorbitant civil fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Free Migration Project coordinated with other organizations and the targeted leaders to sue ICE for violating their constitutional rights. In April of 2021, after sustained litigation and advocacy, ICE rescinded its policy of issuing retaliatory civil fines against immigrant leaders. In September 2022, a federal judge ordered ICE to turn over additional records it had likely withheld about the civil fines program. The targeted sanctuary leaders were granted relief under a settlement made public on June 22, 2023.