EXCLUSIVE: ICE Accused of Keeping Immigrants' Cash, Passports and Personal Belongings for Months After Release in Explosive Lawsuit
A federal lawsuit accuses ICE of withholding immigrants' cash, passports, work permits and personal belongings for months after their release.
Oct. 13 2026, Published 6:10 p.m. ET
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing an explosive new class-action lawsuit accusing the agency of withholding immigrants' cash, passports, work permits, and personal belongings for months after releasing them from detention, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, seven former detainees filed a 39-page complaint in Washington, D.C., federal court on October 13, accusing ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of maintaining an unlawful practice that has allegedly left people unemployed, financially devastated, and even homeless.
Immigrants Claim ICE Refused to Return Their Belongings
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is named as a defendant in the new federal class-action lawsuit.
The lawsuit names DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and senior ICE official David J. Venturella among the defendants.
The plaintiffs allege ICE routinely confiscates identification cards, passports, Social Security cards, cell phones, jewelry, and money during immigration arrests but fails to return those possessions after detainees are released.
According to the complaint, all seven plaintiffs have been out of ICE custody for at least five months and remain without important belongings despite repeated requests. One plaintiff, Rolando Ramirez Fuentes, who arrived in the United States from Cuba 46 years ago, claims ICE withheld his Social Security card and Florida driver's license following his April 2026 release.
Wedding Ring Missing
Seven former detainees accuse ICE of withholding personal belongings months after their release.
The lawsuit alleges his inability to recover those documents prevented him from securing employment, obtaining medical care for a heart condition, and ultimately maintaining housing. He is now homeless, according to the filing.
Another plaintiff, Vladimir Izmailov, claims ICE officers threw his wallet and belt into the trash following his November 2025 detention. The Russian citizen, who lives in California with his wife and two children, alleges authorities also failed to return his wedding ring, driver's license, and employment authorization.
The complaint states ICE later indicated his belongings had likely been destroyed.
Forced to Return Confiscated Belongings
ICE faces allegations of withholding passports, work permits, cash and other belongings.
Without his work permit, Izmailov allegedly cannot secure stable employment, forcing his family to borrow money to cover rent.
Meanwhile, Colombian asylum seeker Enis Suleima Luna Ardila claims she was forced to reject approximately five employment opportunities because ICE failed to return her work authorization documents. One position reportedly offered twice her existing wages and better benefits.
The complaint also highlights previous federal court proceedings in Minnesota, West Virginia, New York, Texas, and Colorado, where judges ordered immigration authorities to return confiscated belongings.
Federal Judges Challenge ICE
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The lawsuit cites previous federal court orders directing ICE to return confiscated property.
In one Colorado case, a judge described ICE's alleged refusal to return documents as "unjustifiable intransigence." The plaintiffs argue ICE's conduct violates the Fourth Amendment and federal administrative law, while also disregarding the agency's own property-handling directives.
They are seeking court orders requiring the return of unlawfully withheld possessions and safeguards preventing similar conduct.
The allegations have not yet been adjudicated in this newly filed federal case.
