ACLU Sues Puerto Rico Over Migrant Driver Data Disclosure

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico has filed a lawsuit against the island's Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) to obtain documents related to the transfer of personal information on nearly 6,000 migrants who received Puerto Rican driver's licenses under Act No. 97 of 2013. The suit challenges the DTOP's refusal to provide copies of requests from federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as legal assessments justifying compliance with these requests. The ACLU argues that the Puerto Rican government violated Law 97-2013 by sharing this data without a court order, which is required to protect such information from being used for immigration enforcement. The leaked data has allegedly been used by federal authorities to identify, locate, arrest without warrants, and deport immigrants. The lawsuit highlights concerns over breaches of constitutional rights to access public information and the illegal handling of sensitive personal data by the Puerto Rican government and federal agencies. The case underscores tensions between immigration enforcement actions and privacy protections in Puerto Rico.