NEW YORK (Diya TV) — A federal jury has ordered Suffolk County, New York, to pay $112 million in damages after finding that local authorities unlawfully detained hundreds of immigrants on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The landmark decision highlights growing legal challenges to local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement across the United States.

The ruling stems from a 2017 class-action lawsuit, Orellana Castañeda et al. v. County of Suffolk and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office et al., involving 674 immigrants who were held in county jails even after posting bail or resolving their criminal cases. The court found that Suffolk County and its Sheriff’s Office violated the constitutional rights of those individuals by detaining them solely for ICE’s “administrative convenience.”

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs were kept in jail after completing their legal obligations, effectively denying them their right to freedom. The decision marks one of the largest financial penalties ever imposed on a local government for immigration-related detentions.

The case began when a 34-year-old man from Guatemala, living on Long Island, was arrested in Central Islip in April 2017. His cousin paid a $1,000 bail, but instead of being released, he was transferred to ICE’s Varick Street Detention Center in Manhattan and later to a jail in New Jersey.

Court filings revealed that he was held without legal justification and suffered “loss of liberty, emotional distress, humiliation, and economic loss.” His experience led to a class-action lawsuit representing hundreds of others who faced similar treatment in Suffolk County jails.

LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a civil rights organization that represented the plaintiffs, called the decision a victory for immigrant rights. José Pérez, Deputy General Counsel at LatinoJustice, said the verdict confirms what advocates have argued for years.

“This decision brings long-overdue accountability,” Pérez said. “The jury confirmed what we have argued all along, that Suffolk County’s actions trampled the basic due process rights guaranteed under the 14th Amendment. Today’s verdict is justice served, and our clients’ courage ensures these types of abuses will hopefully not be repeated.”

In a post on its blog, LatinoJustice wrote that the verdict sends a clear message about the limits of local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The organization noted that the jury’s unanimous decision “sets a powerful precedent for communities across the nation.”

ICE, created in 2003 under the Department of Homeland Security, has long faced criticism for its enforcement tactics. The agency was established in response to the 9/11 attacks to strengthen national security through immigration and customs enforcement. However, in recent years, ICE has drawn scrutiny for detaining immigrants without warrants and, in some cases, wrongfully arresting U.S. citizens.

Legal experts say this latest ruling could encourage more lawsuits against counties and states that hold immigrants for ICE without proper legal authority. Similar cases are reportedly moving through courts in other parts of the country.

The Suffolk County government has not commented in detail on the verdict but is expected to appeal the decision. County officials argue that they were cooperating with federal authorities under existing policies at the time.

If upheld, the $112 million payout would come from county taxpayers. The decision has already sparked debate among residents and lawmakers over who should bear financial responsibility for the unlawful detentions.

Immigration advocates say the verdict sends a strong warning to other local governments working with ICE. The case underscores the legal risks of detaining individuals without proper judicial authorization, a practice many federal courts have ruled unconstitutional.

“This is a reminder that due process applies to everyone,” Pérez said. “Local authorities cannot hold people just because ICE asks them to.”

While the lawsuit focused on Suffolk County’s past actions, immigrant rights groups say the ruling could shape future policies on Long Island and beyond.