DHS immigration enforcement legal challenges

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing increasing legal challenges and judicial scrutiny regarding its immigration enforcement practices.

In August 2026, a federal judge in California found DHS in civil contempt for failing to comply with a court order to forensic-image the cell phones of over 800 immigration agents involved in the 2025 Los Angeles raids, known as Operation At Large. The judge imposed a daily fine of $500 to compel compliance, as the agency’s current processing rate was estimated to take four years. Plaintiffs argue the device imaging is necessary to investigate potential racial profiling.

Concurrently, a federal judge in Minneapolis initiated proceedings that could lead to contempt charges against DHS for allegedly violating an injunction that barred immigration enforcement activities in houses of worship. This follows an incident where an undercover agent reportedly dropped a recording device inside a church gym and conducted surveillance of the property. These legal developments occur alongside a record surge in ICE arrests, which reached nearly 50,000 in a single month.