Name: This Town Is Trying to Police Private Hiking Trails
Uploaded: 2026-10-09T11:32:19Z
Description: Roxbury, Connecticut is trying to stop Charles and Eli Copley from letting people hike on the private trails they built on their own land.

This Town Is Trying to Police Private Hiking Trails

Roxbury, Connecticut is trying to stop Charles and Eli Copley from ...

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The stay of these policies comes in a class-action lawsuit brought by Leo Garcia Venegas, who is represented by the Institute for Justice.

https://ij.org/press-release/federal-court-orders-dhs-to-stop-detaining-people-with-valid-identification-and-halts-warrantless-construction-site-raids/

“For the first time in a long time, I will be able to go to work without worrying that I will be arrested for no reason,” said Leo. “Americans cannot be stopped and held by law enforcement when they are doing nothing wrong.”

Leo, a construction worker in Baldwin County, Alabama, has been detained three times since the spring of 2025 despite presenting a state-issued REAL ID each time. In May and June of last year, Leo was detained by officers who entered his private job sites without warrants. Both times, officers refused to believe Leo was a citizen or recognize his REAL ID as proof of legal status. Earlier this year, officers followed Leo home and confronted him in his driveway. Even though Leo was trying to show officers his REAL ID, he was ripped from his car, tackled to the ground, handcuffed, shackled, and locked in the back of a car.

“This decision is a huge blow to DHS’s lawless enforcement practices,” said IJ Senior Attorney Jared McClain. “The government stood up in court and argued that they don’t need warrants to enter private construction sites and round up all the workers, and that they can’t trust government-issued IDs. By setting aside those unconstitutional policies, the court has restored the rule of law. Construction workers like Leo can finally go to work in peace again.”

The court stayed three DHS policies while Leo’s case continues:

1. Warrantless Entry Policy (which permitted immigration officers to raid private construction sites without a warrant or consent),
2. Preemptive Detention Policy (which permitted immigration officers to preemptively detain employees without a particularized suspicion that persons are illegal immigrants), and
3. Continued Detention Policy (which permitted immigration officers to continue detaining workers even after they show evidence of citizenship or lawful presence).

Leo has also submitted claims to the federal agencies who violated his rights, announcing his intent to sue under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). Those claims will be added to this lawsuit.Show More