A federal lawsuit was filed in Columbus against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies for what they called unlawful practices and policies of conducting warrantless arrests without probable cause.
The ACLU of Ohio, Community Refugee and Immigration Services and other groups and law firms filed the suit Wednesday against ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol.
The ACLU said the suit was brought on behalf of anyone who has been or will be arrested since April 22, 2025, for alleged immigration violations without a warrant and assessment that the person could flee.
The suit asks the court to order agents to stop making warrantless arrests without determining escape risks.
It also wants to court to order that agents state in writing the facts surrounding a warrantless arrest, and expunge all records collected and maintained about those the suit said were unlawfully arrested.
"We are calling for immediate guardrails against unlawful ICE arrests that are systematically destabilizing immigrant communities, sowing widespread fear, and undermining the rule of law in Ohio," CRIS Executive Director Angela Plummer said in a statement. "Now more than ever, we must stand together to ensure the rights and safety of every resident are protected."
Freda Levinson, the ACLU of Ohio's chief legal officer, said: “The Trump administration is using ICE as a supersized deportation force to round up individuals who have steady jobs, cohesive families, strong ties to their community, and lack any criminal record."
The lawsuit mentions a Sandusky man who was arrested on April 22, 2025 as he exited his car in a Walmart parking lot without asking him anything about himself, his job, where he lived or his ties to the community. They never showed him a warrant for his arrest or indicated they had one.
