ACLU sues federal government for information on possible Trump mass deportations

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Southern California on Monday sued the federal government under the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), requesting information on President-elect Donald Trump's mass deportations plans.

Trump made illegal immigration and border security one of the focal points of his presidential campaign, and promised to deport the millions of migrants who are living in the country illegally. Trump even teased on Monday that he could declare a national emergency and use the military to conduct the operation if necessary.

The ACLU is requesting information on how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Air operations and programs can be used to detain and deport illegal immigrants. 

"For months, the ACLU has been preparing for the possibility of a mass detention and deportation program, and FOIA litigation has been a central part of our roadmap," ACLU staff attorney Kyle Virgien told Axios. "A second Trump administration underscores the urgency of our litigation."

The lawsuit comes after ICE failed to respond to a records request filed in August. The lawsuit is demanding all ICE contracts and records regarding air transportation that has been designated to remove illegal immigrants, and information on the ground transportation used to shuttle the illegal immigrants to airports.

Maribel Hernández Rivera, ACLU's director of policy and government affairs for border and immigration, said the union is also preparing to sue the government over any new detention camps it believes to be inhumane.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.