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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 1d

Immunity for Arresting the Wrong Woman? Court Says NO!

Learn more about this case here: https://ij.org/case/florida-mistaken-identity-arrest/

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 8d

Leo is an American citizen.

If being American means anything, it’s that he should be free to work without worrying that the government will raid the property without a warrant and arrest him for doing nothing wrong.

Watch Leo's video here:

Innocent CITIZEN Arrested TWICE by ICE

YouTube video by Institute for Justice

youtu.be

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 8d

Even when Leo presents his Alabama-issued REAL ID, officers reject it as fake.

Today, to stop the violations of his and other construction workers’ Fourth Amendment rights, Leo filed a federal class-action lawsuit with the Institute for Justice.
ij.org/case/alabama...

Alabama Construction Site Raids - Institute for Justice

Earning an honest living is fundamental to being an American. What’s deeply un-American is the government using masked agents to harass hard-working Americans at work. […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 8d

🚨 New Case Alert 🚨
Leo Garcia Venegas is an American citizen and construction worker in south Alabama.

Even though he has done nothing suspicious and is working on private property, Leo has been repeatedly detained (once violently) by federal officers enforcing immigration laws.
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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Short Circuit @shortcircuitij.bsky.social · 12d

Our Latest Podcast: Won't You Take Me To YIMBYTown?

Recorded before a live audience at @yimbytown.bsky.social 2025! With @profschleich.bsky.social @andrewdfine.bsky.social & Ari Bargil of @ij.org!

ij.org/podcasts/sho...

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 13d

Army Vet Sues DEA to Return His $8500 (He Won!)

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 13d

“If the government can use eminent domain just based on the hope it comes up with a plan in the future, no one’s property is safe.

"Fortunately for the Marshalls—and for all of us—the Constitution demands more,” said IJ Senior Attorney Jeffrey Redfern.

Learn more here: ij.org/case/freepor...

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 13d

The Port has attempted to acquire and destroy most of the city’s historic East End neighborhood.

But, as the court notes, it “never could identify a specific public use” + “admitted that it did not have any specific plans for what will be developed”—a requirement for any use of #EminentDomain.

Victory! Court Rules in Favor of Historically Black Community of Freeport, Texas to Keep Their Land in Battle with Port and Eminent Domain - Institute for Justice

Freeport, Tx.—Today the Texas 14th Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by the Port of Freeport to use eminent domain to seize land from a […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 13d

Victory in Freeport, Texas!

Last week, the Texas 14th Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by the Port of Freeport to use #EminentDomain to seize land from a group of property owners in Freeport’s historically Black community.
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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 28d

Here’s a story that’s becoming all too common: federal immigration agents using racial and ethnic profiling as a rationale for stopping, questioning and detaining U.S. citizens who they suspect are undocumented.

A U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE for Three Days Tells His Story

A conversation with George Retes, an Army veteran swept up in a California raid

www.theatlantic.com

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 29d

Last September, Jennifer teamed up with IJ to hold Broward County and its officials responsible for their mistakes and to ensure that this nightmare does not happen to someone else.

Yesterday, we won!

Victory: Broward County Officers Not Entitled to Qualified Immunity for Arresting Innocent Woman in Case of Mistaken Identity - Institute for Justice

MIAMI—On Wednesday, United States District Court Judge Melissa Damian ruled a Texas woman’s lawsuit against the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and several deputies of the […]

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 29d

Despite the discrepancies, Jennifer was held in jail for 3 days—causing her to miss Christmas + her final chance to see her son before his deployment.

Her wrongful arrest & detention violated the #4thAmendment’s right to be free from unreasonable seizures & the constitutional right to due process.

Florida Mistaken Identity Arrest - Institute for Justice

An innocent Texas woman was arrested in a case of mistaken identity while getting off a cruise in 2022. Now, she's suing Broward County for the unconstitutional arrest.

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 29d

Christmas Eve 2022, Jennifer Heath Box was wrongfully arrested by #BrowardCounty, Florida Sheriff’s deputies.

The warrant was for Jennifer *Delcarmen* Heath, who was a different ethnicity, 23 years younger, 5" shorter, and had different hair and eye color.

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · 29d

VICTORY: Officers Denied #QualifiedImmunity for Arresting and Jailing Woman at Christmas
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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jul 7

This law not only infringes on the #FirstAmendment rights of journalists, but of all Louisianans.

Last week, IJ submitted an amicus brief urging the 5th Circuit to uphold a lower court ruling that blocks law enforcement from enforcing Louisiana’s “police buffer law.”

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jul 7

An unconstitutional Louisiana law creates a 25-foot "buffer zone" around any police activity—even if you're just filming.

But the #1stAmendment protects the right of people to observe actions being taken by government officials without fear of prosecution.
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Public Interest Law Firm Joins First Amendment Fight Against Louisiana’s ‘Buffer Law’ - Institute for Justice

Amicus brief calls on court to uphold a lower court ruling that blocks law enforcement from enforcing Louisiana’s “police buffer law.”

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jul 7

U.S Marshals put Penny McCarthy through 2 days of hell because of their reckless investigation.

Now Penny has teamed up with the IJ to hold the officers and the U.S. government accountable and to guard against this nightmare happening to someone else.

More here: ij.org/case/arizona...

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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Short Circuit @shortcircuitij.bsky.social · Jul 2

The latest episode of @ij.org's roundtable podcast, Unpublished Opinions, just dropped! John Wrench, Diana Simpson & Sam Gedge bicker over the Bluebook, dialogue about dictionaries, and scheme on strategy in public interest law.

ij.org/podcasts/unp...

Unpublished Opinions 16 | Rings of a Hoary Oak Tree - Institute for Justice

A new edition of everyone’s favorite legal grimoire has dropped, and John Wrench convenes Sam Gedge and Diana Simpson to ask the hard questions: Is […]

ij.org

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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Short Circuit @shortcircuitij.bsky.social · Jun 27

Our Latest Newsletter: Classroom commandments, the FBI’s Most Wanted, and a phone book artifice.

ij.org/sc_newslette...

Classroom commandments, the FBI's Most Wanted, and a phone book artifice. - Institute for Justice

This week, a federal judge granted IJ clients a temporary restraining order in our third case challenging new federal rules for money-services businesses along the […]

ij.org

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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Dan King🇺🇦 @kinger-dc.bsky.social · Jun 26

Houston police "failed to justify most searches" of their automatic license plate reader database.

Without warrant requirements, police will continue to abuse this surveillance system.

That's why @ij.org is ramping up our fight against ALPRs.
www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

How Houston police are using a largely unregulated surveillance system

Houston police are using a powerful, largely unregulated surveillance tool that tracks vehicle movements more than ever, and justifying their work less and less.

www.houstonchronicle.com

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jun 23

Over the years, IJ's work to defend property rights and fight eminent domain abuse has evolved, but some things are constant:

The property owners IJ defends could never afford to fight back on their own and we will remain forever vigilant in our fight against eminent domain abuse in all its guises.

Kelo Eminent Domain - Institute for Justice

One of the Supreme Court’s most controversial cases made it much easier for the government to seize homes and small businesses.

ij.org

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jun 23

The land where Susette Kelo's house once stood remains vacant to this day.

But after the Supreme Court's disastrous decision, public outrage led more than 45 states to strengthen their property rights laws.

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jun 23

In 2005, the Court ruled that the government could take Susette Kelo’s home through #EminentDomain and give it to a private developer for “economic development.”

Susette Kelo's neighborhood was bulldozed and the promised development never happened.

But the story doesn't end there.

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Institute for Justice @ij.org · Jun 23

Today marks the 20-year anniversary of Kelo v. City of New London—one of the most infamous #SupremeCourt decisions in modern history.
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Kelo Eminent Domain - Institute for Justice

One of the Supreme Court’s most controversial cases made it much easier for the government to seize homes and small businesses.

ij.org

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Reposted by Institute for Justice

Dan King🇺🇦 @kinger-dc.bsky.social · Jun 12

🎉Another @ij.org WIN at #SCOTUS🎉

Today, the court UNANIMOUSLY ruled our clients' lawsuit against the FBI over a wrong-house raid can move forward!
ij.org/press-releas...

VICTORY: Supreme Court Sides with Family in Wrong House Raid Case - Institute for Justice

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court released its decision in Martin v. United States, a case brought by a family whose home was wrongly raided by an FBI […]

ij.org

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