Controversial Detentions at ICE Check-Ins Raise Alarm

Wed Nov 26 2025 10:59:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A recent lawsuit in Southern California challenges the legality of immigration detention practices, highlighting the cases of several immigrants arrested after routine check-ins with ICE.

An alarming trend in Southern California has emerged as immigrants, including those without any criminal history, have been detained after attending scheduled check-ins with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A lawsuit has been filed in the Southern District of California, challenging these detentions, asserting that such actions violate due process rights. The Center for Immigration Law and Policy and the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law are demanding accountability as these arrests appear to have surged in recent weeks, impacting numerous families.

SAN DIEGO — A recent wave of detentions during immigration check-ins has heightened concerns regarding the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. A lawsuit filed in California challenges these practices after several individuals were arrested post-check-in, despite having no criminal backgrounds and previously being deemed eligible for release.

On October 20, Chancely Fanfan, a 31-year-old Haitian, appeared for what he believed was a standard check-in with ICE, accompanied by his wife and infant child. Instead, he was arrested by ICE officers, who cited no clear reasons for the detention. Legal representatives have described this as a violation of due process.

The Center for Immigration Law and Policy and the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law have stepped forward to question these detentions, claiming that they unlawfully deprive immigrants of their rights and are indicative of a broader pattern of behavior by immigration authorities.

The petition filed details that the detained individuals had previously participated in all required hearings and demonstrated compliance with immigration procedures. “Petitioners have had no criminal contact since their prior releases from DHS custody, and two petitioners have no criminal history of any kind,” stated their lawyers.

The lawsuit spotlights the troubling trend wherein immigrants are ordered to report for check-ins, only to be met with arrests upon arrival. With reports suggesting that arrests related to these check-ins have increased significantly since early October, advocates for immigrant rights have voiced urgent calls for reform.

One recent victim of this trend is Lorenzo, a long-time U.S. resident and gardener from Mexico, who was shocked to learn that his previously closed case was being reopened, resulting in his sudden requirement to check in with ICE. He voiced his fears about the situation and reflected on how these sudden changes impact personal lives significantly.

The UCLA School of Law’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy indicates that the San Diego arrests alone could be in the dozens, with calls for a federal judge to classify this as a broader systemic issue affecting many immigrants facing similar predicaments. The outcome of this lawsuit could set a critical precedent regarding the rights of immigrants in the United States.

A federal judge is expected to play a critical role in determining not only the fate of Fanfan and his fellow petitioners but also the larger implications for the immigration process and the rights afforded to those seeking refuge in the U.S.