Federal Judge Halts DHS Warrantless Raids at Construction Sites

Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock issued stays on three specific DHS policies while the lawsuit filed by Leo Garcia Venegas proceeds. The court found that federal agents likely violated the Fourth Amendment rights of Venegas, who was detained three times since early 2025. In one instance, masked officers followed him from a job site to his home, where he was tackled and shackled while attempting to present his REAL ID to prove his citizenship.

The blocked practices include policies allowing warrantless entry onto private property, detaining individuals based solely on suspicion, and continuing to hold people even after they present evidence of lawful presence. The government had argued that construction sites qualified as "open fields" exempt from warrant requirements, but the court rejected this, noting that Venegas was working in secured, posted structures. The ruling further challenged the DHS stance that state-issued REAL ID cards hold no weight in determining legal status, a position the court noted undermines the very documentation the administration encourages citizens to carry.