Lawsuit Targets ICE Over Secret Raids and Miller’s Paper Trail
Democracy Forward says the Trump-Vance deportation machine is hiding internal comms that could expose the architecture of mass arrests—and the reality TV circus around it.
WASHINGTON — A nonprofit watchdog organization has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, alleging that the agencies failed to comply with multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests related to immigration raids, the use of masked officers, and communications involving senior Trump administration officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller.
The complaint, filed July 11 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the Democracy Forward Foundation, seeks injunctive relief to compel the agencies to release documents pertaining to internal policies and communications dating back to January 2025.
Democracy Forward accuses both DHS and ICE of unlawfully withholding public records that may reveal how Miller and other Trump-Vance administration officials have shaped recent immigration enforcement directives. The group specifically points to reports that ICE officers have conducted raids while wearing masks and plainclothes, often without displaying identification.
According to the filing, the group submitted four FOIA requests between February and May 2025. These included requests for internal ICE and DHS communications involving Miller, America First Legal (a group Miller co-founded), and other key administration figures such as Tom Homan and Gene Hamilton. The requests also sought documentation on ICE’s policies regarding the use of face coverings during operations, as well as communications about large-scale enforcement actions in major cities such as Chicago, Boston, and New York.
ICE acknowledged receipt of the requests but did not provide the required responses within the statutory time limits, according to the complaint. One request seeking records related to communications with television personality Dr. Phil McGraw and mentions of “filming crew” and “put on a show” was partially rejected by ICE as overly broad. Democracy Forward countered that the request met legal standards and asked the agency to proceed with processing.
The lawsuit references recent media reports describing Miller’s role in setting aggressive arrest quotas and directing raids in high-traffic migrant areas, part of what critics call a revived and intensified crackdown on undocumented immigration.
Democracy Forward argues that the delays and lack of transparency from DHS and ICE violate FOIA’s core purpose of public accountability. The organization is seeking a court order requiring both agencies to conduct full records searches and release any non-exempt materials, along with attorney’s fees and other relief.