Immigrant Rights Project
Where Legal Action Meets Human Rights
Learn how the ACLU of Louisiana and its partners are exposing inhumane treatment in ICE detention centers—and what you can do to help.
Last updated on September 16, 2025
Fighting Back Against Detention Abuse
Explore how detention operates in Louisiana — and what we’re doing to challenge it. Our latest report reveals abuse inside ICE-run facilities, and our coalition is calling for federal investigation and accountability.
—“When they took us from the border, we were shackled, head to toe. Then they told us we were going to Louisiana. We all started shaking with fear. We knew we were about to lose our freedom, our rights, even our humanity. We knew we were going to the Black Hole.”
Interview with man detained at Pine Prairie
Correctional Center in 2000.
📢 New Report Released: Inside the Black Hole
In partnership with RFK Human Rights, ACLU National, Immigration Services & Legal Advocacy, and the National Immigration Project, we co-authored a groundbreaking new report: Inside the Black Hole: Immigrant Detention in Louisiana
Key findings:
- 59 site visits to 9 ICE facilities (2022–2024)
- 6,200+ detained individuals interviewed
- Routine violations of ICE standards and international law
- Urgent call for independent investigation into NOLA ICE
Our Approach
At the ACLU of Louisiana, our approach to immigrant rights is rooted in partnership, accountability, and empowerment. We work directly with law firms, in-house counsel, and law school clinics to provide free legal support for people facing the inhumane realities of immigration detention — from parole applications to civil rights complaints. Our efforts are amplified through coalition-building with community-based and national organizations, including ACLU National, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and Immigration Services & Legal Advocacy.
We conduct in-depth investigations into detention conditions, gathering testimony, filing oversight complaints, and organizing stakeholder tours to hold institutions accountable. And we believe in the power of knowledge: through public education and Know Your Rights initiatives, we help immigrants understand their rights and advocate for themselves — whether behind bars or in their communities.
Legal Partnerships
We collaborate with law firms, in-house counsel, and law school clinics to deliver critical legal support for detained people seeking release or justice.
Community & National Coalitions
Our work is strengthened through partnerships with groups like ACLU National, RFK Human Rights, and Immigration Services & Legal Advocacy.
Investigations & Oversight
We conduct detention center tours and document patterns of abuse through interviews, complaints, and formal inquiries.
Public Education
We work to ensure that all immigrants — detained or not — understand their rights and how to advocate for themselves safely.
How to Find a Loved One After a U.S. Immigration Arrest
This guide will help you look for someone who was taken by immigration officers and may be facing deportation.
Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas
Read below to learn how to order red cards, print your own in many languages and effectively use them.
All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC's red cards give examples of how people can exercise these rights. However, they do not provide individualized legal advice. Community members are encouraged to check in with a trusted legal service provider for questions about their situation.
All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC's red cards give examples of how people can exercise these rights. However, they do not provide individualized legal advice. Community members are encouraged to check in with a trusted legal service provider for questions about their situation.
Lessons from East Tennessee
Prepare for potential ICE raids at home, work, and in public. This toolkit offers practical legal guidance, emergency planning, and community response strategies to protect immigrants and their families.
The Raids Toolkit was created by immigrant rights organizations to help individuals, families, and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from ICE raids. It includes:
- Know Your Rights information for encounters at homes, workplaces, courthouses, and during vehicle stops.
- Guidance on Home and Worksite Raids: What to do if ICE comes to your door or storms your workplace.
- Detailed intake forms for documenting civil rights violations and abuse during raids.
- Legal preparation tips: How to prepare emergency documents (Power of Attorney, custody planning, medical info, etc.).
- Community-based advocacy examples: Lessons from the Morristown, TN raid and nationwide coordinated responses.
- Health and trauma impact data: How raids destabilize families, harm children’s mental health, and erode public trust.
- Recommendations to public officials and allies to challenge and end large-scale immigration enforcement actions.
The toolkit also includes templates, hotline info, and documentation checklists for individuals and advocates.
The Raids Toolkit was created by immigrant rights organizations to help individuals, families, and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from ICE raids. It includes:
- Know Your Rights information for encounters at homes, workplaces, courthouses, and during vehicle stops.
- Guidance on Home and Worksite Raids: What to do if ICE comes to your door or storms your workplace.
- Detailed intake forms for documenting civil rights violations and abuse during raids.
- Legal preparation tips: How to prepare emergency documents (Power of Attorney, custody planning, medical info, etc.).
- Community-based advocacy examples: Lessons from the Morristown, TN raid and nationwide coordinated responses.
- Health and trauma impact data: How raids destabilize families, harm children’s mental health, and erode public trust.
- Recommendations to public officials and allies to challenge and end large-scale immigration enforcement actions.
The toolkit also includes templates, hotline info, and documentation checklists for individuals and advocates.
Where Legal Action Meets Human Rights
Learn how the ACLU of Louisiana and its partners are exposing inhumane treatment in ICE detention centers—and what you can do to help.
