Vazquez Damages Claims

The ACLU of North Carolina filed federal damages claims on behalf of Fernando Vazquez Orea against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). On November 18, 2025, CBP agents handcuffed Vazquez while he was working, dragged him into an unmarked vehicle, drove him about a mile down the road, and then dumped him on the side of the road in an isolated wooded area.

The ACLU of North Carolina submitted the claims on Vazquez’s behalf under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which allows individuals to sue the United States for injuries suffered as a result of unlawful conduct by federal agents.