TPM Files Second FOIA Action on Behalf of Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights and Immigrant Defenders Law Center

Over seven months ago, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights (Young Center) and Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) requested records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pertaining to the termination of the Young Adult Case Management Program (YACMP).

YACMP was designated by ICE as an “Alternative to Detention” program. It subjected some youth and families to monitoring during the pendency of their immigration proceedings. Young Center and ImmDef work closely with youth who entered the United States unaccompanied and were automatically enrolled in YACMP. DHS terminated YACMP on July 31, 2024. Details related to the termination, including the reasons why it was terminated, are unknown to the public and attorneys and other advocates for these youth.

Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), federal agencies must notify requestors within 20 days of the request which records will be produced and then must promptly produce the records. Neither ICE nor DHS have produced any of the requested records since the FOIA request, nor have they indicated whether or when they will produce any records. 

On February 10, 2025, Terris, Pravlik & Millian, LLP (TPM) filed a lawsuit to enforce FOIA against DHS and ICE, asking the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to order the agencies to produce the documents promptly. A copy of the complaint is here.

This is the second FOIA lawsuit that TPM has filed against DHS and ICE on behalf of Young Center and ImmDef. The first lawsuit can be read about here.

If you have any questions about the case, please call Jaclyn Deitch at 202-204-8473.