Venegas: 'Americans cannot be stopped and held ... when they are doing nothing wrong'
Plaintiff; construction worker
“Americans cannot be stopped and held by law enforcement when they are doing nothing wrong. I'm glad my case is moving forward, and I hope it can make lasting change.”
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Institute for Justice press release on Judge Beaverstock's September 3, 2026 denial of the government's motion to dismiss, with quotes from Venegas and IJ senior attorney Jared McClain.
Before the quotation
Judge Beaverstock rejected the government's motion to dismiss on September 3, 2026, allowing Venegas's Fourth Amendment claims against DHS's construction-site enforcement practices to proceed.
After the quotation
The Institute for Justice said the ruling was an important first step toward proving the alleged Fourth Amendment violations at trial.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Did DHS violate the Fourth Amendment with warrantless immigration raids on Alabama construction sites?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
Venegas's statement condemns being 'stopped and held' by law enforcement 'when doing nothing wrong,' directly criticizing the DHS detention practices challenged in the case as unjustified.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Did DHS violate the Fourth Amendment with warrantless immigration raids on Alabama construction sites?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
More from this case
Read the full case“DHS law enforcement uses 'reasonable suspicion' to make arrests. What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the U.S. — NOT their skin color, race, or ethnicity.”Read statement
“Armed and masked federal officers are raiding private construction sites in Alabama, detaining whoever they think looks undocumented”Read statement