In July 2024, the Young Center and Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in federal court against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE in order to compel the agencies to provide information regarding ICE’s Young Adult Case Management Program (YACMP). ICE established YACMP in January 2023 as a so-called “Alternative to Detention” program targeting 18- and 19-year-old immigrant youth in removal proceedings and reportedly expanded the program in September 2023 to youth between the ages of 18 and 21 years old and families.

Both the Young Center and ImmDef worked with youth who were automatically enrolled in YACMP and were deeply concerned about the program’s impact on youth and the government’s lack of public transparency regarding the program. Federal law requires the government to respond in a matter of weeks, but DHS failed to produce documents for nearly 11 months. As of July 31, 2024, DHS abruptly terminated YACMP with no explanation.

The Young Center and ImmDef subsequently requested documents pertaining to the termination from DHS and ICE. DHS failed to produce documents for six months.  In February 2025, the two organizations filed a second FOIA lawsuit against DHS and ICE to compel the agencies to provide information regarding the termination of YACMP. The Young Center and Terris, Pravlik & Millian, a public interest law firm, are co-counsel on this case.