Johnson v. DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement et al

On December 28, 2018, Andre Johnson, an African American U.S. citizen, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Johnson alleged that ICE agents wrongfully arrested and detained him for several days, mistakenly identifying him as a deportable non-citizen, despite his valid identification and U.S. citizenship. The complaint asserted that the detention violated his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizure and constituted false imprisonment. The suit sought monetary damages and policy reforms to prevent similar errors.

In 2020, the district court denied the government's motion to dismiss, allowing the constitutional and tort claims to proceed. The parties subsequently reached a confidential settlement. Under the agreement, the government provided monetary compensation to Mr. Johnson and ICE agreed to review and enhance its field identification protocols.

Whether ICE agents unreasonably seized and detained a U.S. citizen without sufficient probable cause or adequate identity verification, thereby violating the Fourth Amendment and constituting false imprisonment.

The case drew national attention to the issue of U.S. citizens being erroneously detained by immigration enforcement, highlighting concerns over racial profiling and deficient identity verification procedures. It contributed to ongoing public and legislative debate regarding oversight of ICE operations and the protection of citizens' civil liberties.