Chicago – Over 100 attorneys and advocates representing over 60 organizations from around the country united in Chicago this week for a national convening aimed at training and empowering lawyers to use the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) to hold federal law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct and abuse. Attendees examined emerging issues in FTCA litigation, shared lessons from ongoing and past cases, explored strategies for documenting harm and building claims, and discussed opportunities to strengthen networks of practitioners working to advance accountability.
The convening, hosted by Democracy Forward and UnidosUS, alongside partners the Institute for Justice, The Chicago Project, MacArthur Justice Center, and the National Immigrant Justice Center, focused on how ongoing expansions of immigration enforcement have increased the importance of using the FTCA to seek accountability when the misconduct occurs.
Democracy Forward and UnidosUS recently launched a new national initiative to expand the use of the FTCA as a tool to pursue accountability for federal misconduct, particularly in the context of immigration enforcement and protest-related abuses. Democracy Forward has built significant infrastructure to support this effort, including a comprehensive FTCA litigation toolkit, a growing national attorney network and listserv, referral and intake pathways for potential claims, and training materials designed to support advocates and practitioners nationwide.
“We know that accountability is important and are committed to working alongside people across the nation to ensure victims of unlawful federal enforcement activity are compensated and that bad actors are exposed. From teargassing children to pulling citizens from through car windows to brutalizing peaceful protestors, at a time when the Trump-Vance administration has escalated unlawful enforcement actions that are causing serious harm to people and communities across the country, it was incredible to see the robust organizations and people together to pursue accountability against federal misconduct,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The Federal Tort Claims Act can be an incredibly powerful civil rights accountability tool. This convening is just the beginning of what will be a coordinated network of attorneys representing people harmed by federal officers’ actions at the administrative claim stage and in federal litigation, and Democracy Forward is honored to offer training, research, litigation guidance, screening tools, and ongoing technical support to make sure partners have the tools they need to hold government accountable.”
The two-day convening included expert panels, strategic discussions, and opportunities for attorneys and advocates to strengthen collaboration across the growing national network of practitioners. Participants also previewed the litigation toolkit, coordinated attorney network, and expanded referral pathways for individuals seeking accountability and justice.
The FTCA was effectively used during the Trump-Pence administration as officials went to drastic measures to separate and harm immigrant families. The law requires an administrative claim be made — and typically a six-month waiting period — before someone can file an FTCA lawsuit. Democracy Forward and its partners have already filed a number of claims against some of the Trump-Vance administration’s more egregious actions, laying the groundwork for future litigation.
More information about Democracy Forward’s new FTCA practice can be found here.
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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
