ACLU of Florida v. Rhoden

  • Latest Update: Jun 01, 2025
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Summary

The Baker County Detention Center (“Baker”) operates in part as an immigration detention center. In September 2022, after the ACLU of Florida and others publicly criticized Baker’s conditions of confinement and treatment of people detained there, Baker denied the ACLU of Florida and the Baker Legal Assistance Program access to previously approved legal visits to meet with current and prospective clients to address their time-sensitive legal matters. Baker also threatened to cancel subsequent scheduled visits.

Following this, Baker changed their legal mail and legal phone call policies without notifying the ACLU of Florida or other attorneys, obstructing access to confidential legal mail and legal phone calls. The ACLU of Florida filed a federal lawsuit in September 2022, which was quickly amended, arguing that Baker’s actions violated the plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights to confidential attorney-client communications and right to be free from retaliation.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

While everyone who is in a deportation proceeding has a right to an attorney to help them develop their case, ICE detention centers frequently obstruct access to confidential attorney-client communications for those detained in those facilities to deny due process and to speed up deportations. This is unlawful, and has disastrous consequences for people in removal proceedings. Having an attorney is imperative to getting immigration relief, and many who have meritorious claims have been deported just because they couldn’t access an attorney.

The Latest: In June 2025, the parties reached a comprehensive settlement that will ensure confidential attorney-client communications for those detained at Baker.

Attorney(s):
Amy Godshall