LDF Alarmed by ICE’s Attempt to Conduct a Dragnet on NYC Shelter

Read a PDF of our statement here.

On November 6, 2026, a federal judge ordered the City of New York to provide Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with the names and dates of birth of certain male residents in a Bronx shelter.

Previously, ICE requested this information of all 2000+ residents in the shelter.

In response, Legal Defense Fund (LDF) Director of Strategic Initiatives Jin Hee Lee issued the following statement:

"ICE's initial attempts to indiscriminately obtain identifying and personal information of all of a Bronx shelter's residents, the vast majority of whom are Black and Brown, exposes a dangerous and troubling strategy of targeting some of the most vulnerable in our communities for immigration enforcement. Shelter residents already are at significant risk of violence and experiencing life-threatening health and economic conditions. Adding an additional fear of ICE enforcement may deter residents from seeking the supportive services that are vital to their health and well-being, especially as we experience colder weather.

"We caution against the unnecessary disclosure of information that would prevent vulnerable, unhoused people from seeking the life-saving services they need. ICE's large scale and indiscriminate request for information about shelter residents has been substantially narrowed, but the risk of harm and the threat communicated by their targeting of unhoused people remain very real.

"While accountability is necessary and important, we should never accept the dehumanization of any person, including those who are unhoused and those who have become enmeshed in our criminal legal system. Everyone, regardless of their housing status or past conduct, are entitled to humane treatment and the full due process of our laws."

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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation's first civil rights law organization. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957-although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.