Birmingham, Alabama — Civil rights and immigrant advocacy organizations are seeking public records from Alabama law enforcement agencies to shed light on how local authorities cooperate with federal immigration officials and how detainees are treated in custody.
In November, the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, the Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama, and the Center for Constitutional Rights filed open records requests with the Baldwin and Pickens County sheriffs’ offices and the Leeds Police Department. The requests focus on agreements, communications, and payments connected to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Marshals Service, including participation in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local agencies to enforce immigration laws.
Advocates say the filings were prompted by increased immigration enforcement activity and several high-profile incidents across the state. One request centers on the August detention of Giovanna Hernandez Martinez, who was pulled over by Leeds police for an alleged traffic violation and later transferred to ICE custody after presenting a Mexican identification card. Her family has said she lacked adequate access to health care while detained before being sent to Mexico, a country she had not lived in since childhood.
The groups are also seeking records related to construction site raids in Baldwin County and the detention of Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen who was reportedly held twice by ICE despite being born in Florida. Law enforcement officials say some requests may be overly broad or involve federal agencies, but reviews are ongoing.
The filings reflect broader concerns that cooperation between local police and ICE can lead to wrongful detentions and civil rights violations, particularly for immigrants and U.S. citizens caught up in enforcement actions.
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