Source Details

{
    "source_type": "extension",
    "content_hash": "776433ff4edeb6c9479cf14b76f86c780f8fc1b9e0a255317b728a88e36e5a7a",
    "submitted_via": "chrome_extension",
    "extension_version": "1.0.18",
    "original_url": "https:\/\/reason.com\/2026\/02\/12\/do-construction-workers-have-fourth-amendment-rights-a-federal-court-will-decide\/?utm_source=Reason+Magazine&utm_campaign=cea869d1e1-reason_brand%7Cnew_at_reason%7C2026_02_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_31d7ef7f57-cea869d1e1-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]",
    "parsed_content": "Fourth Amendment\nDo Construction Workers Have Fourth Amendment Rights? A Federal Court Will Decide.\nThe Department of Homeland Security argues it doesn't need a warrant to enter a construction site.\nAgustina Vergara Cid\n|\n2.12.2026 12:40 PM\nShare on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URLMedia Contact & Reprint Requests\n (Photo: Daniel Mekis)\nImmigration agents have intensified raids on construction sites across the country as the Trump administration pursues mass deportations. The raids often involve federal agents entering worksites without warrants, chasing workers, and detaining them (including U.S. citizens) for identity and immigration status checks. Now, the federal government is defending some of those tactics in court and asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit challenging them. In one such defense, the Trump administration basically argued that Fourth Amendment rights do not apply here: An attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) argued that federal agents don't need warrants to enter construction sites, in a motion filed on January 29 in the Southern District of Alabama.\nThe case stems from two separate encounters between Leo Garcia Venegas\u2014a U.S. citizen and construction worker\u2014and immigration agents at Alabama construction sites in May and June 2025. Both times, Venegas was detained (once violently) while at work on private property. \"I got arrested twice for being a Latino working in construction,\" Venegas said in a video about his case produced by the Institute for Justice, a public-interest law firm that is representing him. DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told Reason in October that \"allegations that DHS law enforcement officers engage in 'racial profiling' are disgusting, reckless, and categorically FALSE.\"\nIn his complaint, Venegas argued that the federal government has a policy of entering worksites without judicial warrants. The government is contesting the existence of the policy and Venegas' ability to challenge warrantless entries. In the government's motion, Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Todd didn't deny that federal agents entered the construction sites without a warrant but claimed that Venegas had no \"reasonable expectation of privacy\" while working at sites owned by homebuilders D.R. Horton and Lennar. Therefore, Todd argued, Venegas has no standing to challenge the entries.\n\"Plaintiff does not have a recognized reasonable expectation of privacy while at work on multiple worksites\u2014owned or controlled by [the homebuilders]\u2014for relatively short times for the single express purpose of laying concrete,\" Todd wrote. Because Venegas worked temporarily on sites he didn't own, the motion argued, he had no constitutional protection against government entry and had no power to exclude anybody from the property, even at his own workplace. To have Fourth Amendment standing, Venegas would need an \"unrestricted right of occupancy and control of the premises,\" per Todd.\nThe motion also invokes the open fields doctrine, a legal principle allowing law enforcement to enter some outdoor spaces without a warrant.\nJosh Windham, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice who is representing Venegas, says that the government's argument amounts to saying that nobody can claim Fourth Amendment rights in a construction site unless they are the owner\u2014which he calls \"laughably preposterous.\"\nIn construction sites, \"there's going to be [no trespassing] signs up, there's going to be black tarp fencing, and there's going to be machinery. Any rational person understands not only that you shouldn't trespass, but that it's extremely dangerous for you to wander onto an active construction site,\" says Windham. \"The notion that people think of these as open spaces, that government officials and private individuals should be able to go whenever they please, is silly.\" The second time Venegas was detained, Windham adds, he was putting the finishing touches on a house that was almost fully constructed, but agents wandered in anyway.\nWindham claims that if the owner of the site gives a worker possession of the property, even temporarily, then it is under exclusive control of the worker for the duration of the job, and the worker can exclude others. Venegas, \"while he's doing work on the sites with his crew, has not only the right but the responsibility to keep [extraneous] people off of these sites,\" explains Windham. He has \"lawful control over these pieces of property while he's working on them, which we argue is sufficient to have Fourth Amendment rights in them.\"\nThe government's claim that there are no Fourth Amendment protections in construction sites means that federal agents could wander into any construction site without a warrant. In the context of the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda, Windham argues that the practical effect is that \"Latino construction workers don't have any Fourth Amendment rights while at work.\" With over 8.3 million construction workers in America as of January, the implications could be sweeping.",
    "ai_headline": "Do Construction Workers Have Fourth Amendment Rights? A Federal Court Will Decide.",
    "ai_simplified_title": "DHS Argues Fourth Amendment Doesn't Apply to Construction Workers",
    "ai_excerpt": "The Department of Homeland Security argues that it doesn't need a warrant to enter construction sites, challenging Fourth Amendment rights for construction workers. The case stems from immigration raids and detentions of workers, including a U.S. citizen. The Institute for Justice is representing the worker, arguing for Fourth Amendment protections.",
    "ai_subject_tags": [
        "Fourth Amendment",
        "Construction Workers",
        "Immigration",
        "DHS",
        "Warrantless Searches",
        "Legal Case",
        "Trump Administration"
    ],
    "ai_context_type": "News",
    "ai_context_details": {
        "tone": "informative",
        "perspective": "neutral",
        "audience": "general",
        "credibility_indicators": [
            "expert_quotes"
        ]
    },
    "ai_source_vector": [
        -0.03293574,
        0.015498798,
        0.024624435,
        -0.07463883,
        0.017248238,
        -0.008870819,
        0.010758974,
        0.010611989,
        -0.011501141,
        0.0055287867,
        -0.022606129,
        0.008294699,
        0.0076821437,
        -0.0002203512,
        0.1002604,
        0.028982488,
        -0.018100677,
        0.025692998,
        -0.0034463075,
        0.020637268,
        -0.013300578,
        -0.009211537,
        0.013991954,
        0.007143666,
        0.022213878,
        0.0032334581,
        0.0023445527,
        0.01840488,
        0.039834686,
        -0.027369445,
        -0.03477975,
        0.0040162983,
        -0.014961216,
        0.03259875,
        0.0100509785,
        0.018357342,
        -0.013924502,
        -0.01369224,
        -0.027037712,
        -0.019064128,
        -0.009545686,
        -0.013455876,
        0.01671785,
        -0.02120324,
        0.022160964,
        0.007624413,
        -0.0036348274,
        -0.013116052,
        0.008731559,
        0.013219751,
        0.019060066,
        -0.015854187,
        -0.005036954,
        -0.16175321,
        -0.012939768,
        -0.0027736248,
        -0.024790376,
        0.009973538,
        0.0056590955,
        0.020395136,
        -0.01227835,
        0.028571507,
        -0.01958773,
        -0.016746802,
        0.00040656762,
        -0.03216426,
        0.01081471,
        -0.011913811,
        -0.019394431,
        0.002634059,
        -0.011007522,
        0.016630147,
        -0.013116432,
        -0.031171719,
        -0.010224009,
        -0.0016983207,
        -0.014201191,
        -0.0007143456,
        -0.013226097,
        -0.0138195045,
        -0.010419319,
        0.0046363506,
        -0.010914883,
        -0.020480435,
        -0.0246586,
        0.00771166,
        -0.013675084,
        -0.020677112,
        0.006441156,
        -0.0014719685,
        -0.042507876,
        0.01628428,
        -0.0036771374,
        -0.022866638,
        -0.016180294,
        -0.023583462,
        0.016656613,
        -0.03801912,
        0.0013236088,
        0.005777756,
        -0.01649861,
        -0.020715952,
        -0.010363705,
        -0.019341879,
        0.001549995,
        -0.012913752,
        -0.0052853804,
        0.013747622,
        0.014427384,
        -0.009870419,
        0.023996675,
        -0.0033709616,
        -0.024767462,
        0.029231548,
        0.005332796,
        -0.14294164,
        -0.006913793,
        -0.026295107,
        0.017392797,
        -0.02071078,
        -0.0065382,
        0.0071490947,
        0.010778835,
        0.008666338,
        -0.011881519,
        -0.0162518,
        0.004340756,
        -0.00072677084,
        0.008950882,
        0.01612644,
        -0.0020415336,
        -0.0117803365,
        0.020471374,
        -0.0032056482,
        0.008105162,
        0.010998923,
        -0.013477151,
        -0.03647193,
        0.024063444,
        -0.003506994,
        -0.015846072,
        0.002116995,
        0.020302005,
        0.00853574,
        -0.013919172,
        0.0135076195,
        -0.004695922,
        0.0020458302,
        -0.017077332,
        0.015984157,
        0.031460453,
        -0.02139087,
        0.009565669,
        0.01642248,
        0.019154731,
        -0.03476096,
        -0.0077764173,
        0.016007088,
        0.025776451,
        -0.00501706,
        -0.011831379,
        -0.03602006,
        0.006333492,
        0.04989168,
        0.015928749,
        0.018624002,
        -0.014907761,
        -0.006901736,
        0.014542143,
        0.017367607,
        -0.010432862,
        0.01699656,
        -0.0072085923,
        -0.010706835,
        0.021544296,
        0.00414281,
        0.0064698355,
        0.003077199,
        -0.005358641,
        0.016761646,
        0.0142117115,
        -0.017014725,
        -0.0035436647,
        -0.003998241,
        0.022594092,
        -0.010939137,
        -0.008396838,
        -0.008111508,
        -0.016508697,
        -0.025036268,
        -0.036930203,
        -0.007708825,
        0.008930966,
        -0.009602118,
        0.009063108,
        -0.00888281,
        -0.021353342,
        -0.017282771,
        0.0011989705,
        -0.018006578,
        -0.0075546857,
        0.0139182955,
        0.0077696145,
        -0.009715727,
        0.021123735,
        0.015518204,
        -0.035170738,
        0.0138171455,
        0.008105206,
        0.005051883,
        0.006531161,
        0.011789779,
        -0.006820853,
        0.004173509,
        0.016274221,
        -0.007389018,
        0.0066603385,
        0.00687424,
        -0.03409688,
        0.007975342,
        0.02382501,
        -0.03061176,
        -0.034044217,
        -0.015469236,
        0.05083954,
        0.019642007,
        0.023230758,
        -0.0028693336,
        -0.01078829,
        0.018055843,
        -0.0027857013,
        0.0032433744,
        -0.006979902,
        -0.004820763,
        0.034692563,
        -0.014789204,
        0.014128904,
        -0.021724747,
        0.012800334,
        0.0072009335,
        0.010255421,
        -0.00021235834,
        -0.011756081,
        0.0034174814,
        0.037414625,
        0.00088881556,
        -0.010495645,
        -0.03349567,
        0.0022982263,
        -0.016613845,
        -0.013316322,
        -0.0061032004,
        0.0017949804,
        -0.03613986,
        -0.012152588,
        0.011389125,
        0.011877295,
        -0.006177277,
        -0.025709251,
        -0.018245593,
        -0.01854873,
        0.0048048347,
        -0.0063745063,
        0.01618113,
        -0.013844964,
        0.018181441,
        0.021392092,
        -0.0149921775,
        0.022357922,
        0.009216099,
        -0.01194171,
        -0.00508986,
        -0.01445546,
        -0.0024034095,
        -0.0005536547,
        0.022030748,
        -0.054369763,
        0.03539656,
        0.005177487,
        0.0053397743,
        0.012715171,
        0.014138703,
        -0.011969271,
        -0.00054762035,
        -0.010194986,
        0.007933984,
        -0.015403626,
        -0.004642607,
        0.024914727,
        0.0036285203,
        -0.007869643,
        0.014968889,
        -0.0035617475,
        -0.0015457108,
        0.009219391,
        -0.006810136,
        0.023164455,
        -0.009889378,
        -0.00011983571,
        -0.023009416,
        0.009912571,
        0.015766004,
        0.013579135,
        0.040661193,
        0.0058701714,
        0.012690271,
        -0.0069176117,
        -0.0024699818,
        0.019622888,
        -0.0021299121,
        -0.024901427,
        0.006194959,
        -0.015410369,
        0.017521432,
        0.0178356,
        0.0010865537,
        0.014066275,
        0.007062484,
        0.0094668595,
        -0.0011362939,
        -0.007980338,
        0.023158064,
        -0.02137839,
        0.0025086277,
        -0.019437939,
        0.0027585689,
        0.00308347,
        -0.0011275954,
        0.027358206,
        0.011097864,
        -0.019985491,
        -0.009398993,
        -0.0076087834,
        0.011913787,
        0.019891158,
        -0.005233028,
        0.009041393,
        0.02397248,
        0.029924244,
        0.0026411847,
        0.011274812,
        0.0010316196,
        -0.016965905,
        -0.025765462,
        -0.0022041015,
        0.023394708,
        0.005177076,
        -0.021377306,
        0.00054776616,
        -0.015939314,
        0.0071078106,
        0.0015540059,
        -0.010641048,
        -0.0032053136,
        -0.02792823,
        0.007945121,
        -0.014126323,
        -0.009430065,
        -0.0017861134,
        0.015598979,
        0.010858369,
        -0.0019519534,
        0.00028377993,
        -0.008820483,
        -0.014906567,
        -0.016596325,
        -0.0010180114,
        0.040066935,
        -0.018495196,
        -0.010234224,
        0.0051558716,
        -0.004978339,
        -0.0012116219,
        -0.014982446,
        -0.003230519,
        -0.0031208936,
        -0.0015183231,
        -0.016860055,
        -0.003050836,
        0.0028959105,
        -0.012138039,
        0.030763155,
        -0.00676708,
        -0.031293873,
        -0.00911778,
        0.008371392,
        -0.008808862,
        -0.013955662,
        -0.014951387,
        -0.00506121,
        -0.03310659,
        0.028409414,
        -0.02647009,
        -0.0046054744,
        -0.00020937242,
        -0.018348811,
        -0.020085678,
        0.025404673,
        -0.006733686,
        0.0135787,
        -0.006677084,
        0.0044533806,
        -0.013501057,
        0.018640611,
        0.019386906,
        0.0038425736,
        -0.028820153,
        -0.021515865,
        0.0010863525,
        -0.004490039,
        -0.017071234,
        -0.0065591517,
        0.015515786,
        -0.0060219713,
        0.012563866,
        0.016401188,
        0.009097278,
        -0.024184272,
        0.014483417,
        0.007694903,
        -0.005670937,
        -0.018449964,
        -0.005983165,
        0.029668787,
        0.007818948,
        -0.010043217,
        -0.027306646,
        -0.018927254,
        0.022257632,
        -0.019919623,
        -0.014139302,
        -0.0080839,
        -0.0048890016,
        -0.026551938,
        0.016336307,
        -0.005225212,
        -0.002332906,
        -0.018334672,
        0.0072515234,
        -0.011127585,
        0.022638489,
        -0.021441922,
        0.010950733,
        0.017754545,
        0.018862294,
        0.0123734875,
        -0.0034594128,
        -0.04266932,
        -0.0052553746,
        0.032876953,
        -0.002529963,
        -0.005649507,
        0.023792408,
        -0.018046271,
        0.00915684,
        0.013923008,
        -0.0073023573,
        -0.009842491,
        0.0054711704,
        -0.011302576,
        0.011645663,
        -0.0012306857,
        0.011438038,
        0.03686645,
        -0.021332301,
        0.0143902805,
        -0.014836755,
        -0.03764592,
        0.006840414,
        0.019114153,
        -0.0016969678,
        -0.020706939,
        0.018038042,
        0.0263247,
        0.0049362076,
        0.02157918,
        -0.021007158,
        -0.009841307,
        0.021943742,
        0.017528525,
        -0.007133534,
        -0.006649224,
        -0.024376078,
        0.01060481,
        -0.018435838,
        0.03051334,
        -0.0027313246,
        0.003347939,
        -0.012057964,
        0.008963683,
        0.028670218,
        0.01452628,
        -0.0031736167,
        -0.001675554,
        -0.03969778,
        -0.02240629,
        -0.004089689,
        -0.011270502,
        -0.014393253,
        0.024782047,
        0.0030432884,
        -0.0064599365,
        0.009751704,
        0.0143633755,
        -0.029870924,
        -0.018963013,
        0.0049862545,
        -0.0020594823,
        0.013612801,
        0.006142784,
        -0.0109404465,
        0.010286203,
        -0.010821967,
        0.020253066,
        0.017232317,
        0.025947537,
        0.006898082,
        0.014374947,
        0.007955055,
        0.014773887,
        -0.025460398,
        -0.003959345,
        0.0021056097,
        0.03317542,
        -0.032760054,
        0.033755418,
        0.0031901223,
        0.014661471,
        0.020102108,
        0.015442452,
        -0.01726975,
        0.004709908,
        -0.023846189,
        0.012081105,
        0.016362743,
        0.011819879,
        0.020064116,
        -0.008423457,
        0.0004880983,
        -1.0794334e-6,
        0.0012749761,
        0.002828504,
        -1.0944325e-6,
        -0.025480479,
        0.011261228,
        -0.107147805,
        0.014736508,
        0.010138007,
        -0.008022501,
        -0.0008783653,
        0.00042664894,
        0.02526529,
        -0.011614432,
        -0.0033046661,
        0.009618043,
        -0.02602317,
        -0.013371405,
        -0.006606591,
        -0.017692424,
        -0.011477266,
        0.0035534361,
        0.0027601328,
        0.011551435,
        -0.0060106525,
        -0.010867073,
        0.029992647,
        0.0058058356,
        -0.009666042,
        0.019557182,
        0.019893775,
        -0.02792579,
        0.028815186,
        -0.018647978,
        -0.01999024,
        0.01995003,
        0.024062216,
        0.015131069,
        -0.003402943,
        0.027450487,
        -0.0010370341,
        -0.0085151885,
        0.030233633,
        -0.013402215,
        0.010272109,
        0.023106042,
        0.022395764,
        0.0005711797,
        0.017056912,
        -0.059439525,
        0.014276507,
        -0.005917419,
        -0.0004254081,
        0.012312396,
        -0.005806658,
        -0.009064899,
        -0.003790524,
        -0.013136394,
        -0.020114701,
        -0.024146069,
        -0.033751488,
        -0.025011586,
        -0.0036336766,
        0.020243172,
        -0.025608914,
        0.009795845,
        0.007360475,
        0.010277885,
        0.0026319276,
        0.027932547,
        0.009957263,
        0.01105969,
        -0.011260433,
        0.006633643,
        -0.018435502,
        -0.002087492,
        -0.013882398,
        -0.025461426,
        0.0066429935,
        0.017697616,
        -0.012953003,
        -0.02101107,
        0.010306433,
        -0.00010289376,
        0.0016648166,
        -0.0073562367,
        -0.006776408,
        0.00689898,
        -0.09937202,
        0.0040168925,
        0.008437504,
        -0.015490002,
        -0.018531673,
        -0.013361885,
        0.02917463,
        -0.017630445,
        -0.0037180053,
        -0.00053307205,
        -0.012752036,
        -0.0065957666,
        -0.026570514,
        -0.01821195,
        0.009053997,
        0.0016631462,
        0.02332491,
        0.005084918,
        -0.014799401,
        -0.032970555,
        -0.017083185,
        -0.042577285,
        -0.012183418,
        0.0007371569,
        0.0013130481,
        0.01212388,
        -0.0085244,
        -0.011828675,
        -0.005689046,
        -0.025227165,
        0.029907575,
        -0.15278906,
        -0.004090159,
        -0.013810463,
        0.0036851156,
        -0.013314304,
        0.0048928037,
        -0.02509219,
        -0.008229103,
        0.0021300428,
        -0.011030142,
        -0.016311392,
        -0.00064956857,
        -0.018946273,
        -0.0105905505,
        0.03061919,
        0.1371106,
        0.02969284,
        0.016405482,
        0.005092398,
        -0.042481054,
        -0.032424007,
        0.008308131,
        -0.019271143,
        0.0007003436,
        -0.009537825,
        0.0111628,
        0.023397248,
        -0.019230703,
        0.01187936,
        0.018670332,
        0.02542975,
        -0.02333154,
        0.0051468103,
        -0.019390829,
        0.012295055,
        -0.012289527,
        -0.017031318,
        0.033693288,
        0.0065432563,
        0.03397988,
        0.0021842418,
        0.020927401,
        0.00065413915,
        -0.017343907,
        0.012236976,
        -0.009075145,
        0.018188119,
        0.000805655,
        -0.012887174,
        -0.00567461,
        -0.024938323,
        -0.050340082,
        0.02560744,
        -0.013579981,
        0.001752406,
        -0.017424598,
        -0.024561046,
        -0.031389665,
        0.0023919968,
        0.0036850858,
        0.0073198136,
        -0.015522317,
        -0.016288979,
        0.019539319,
        0.008062381,
        -0.02019395,
        0.0056058564,
        0.038758863,
        0.0028008993,
        -0.012611711,
        0.01611188,
        -0.012721797,
        0.003870958,
        0.0020443508,
        -0.0062757954,
        -0.00094975816,
        -0.011542751,
        0.01717675,
        0.04249792,
        -0.0053264205,
        -0.002027292,
        0.005779667,
        -0.009553424,
        0.014560629,
        0.009218455,
        -0.0135921,
        -0.010579538,
        -0.012755686,
        0.0011877753,
        0.0015182755,
        -0.009776996,
        0.013442883,
        0.0045650317,
        0.006613715,
        0.0028587335,
        -0.009205774,
        -0.008477248,
        -0.009291657,
        -0.026522415,
        0.0127300285,
        0.002827416,
        5.566148e-5,
        -0.009648009,
        -0.035391446,
        -0.007436537,
        0.009403055,
        0.029264944,
        -0.01613611,
        0.010059089,
        0.0132370815
    ],
    "ai_confidence_score": 0.9999999999999999,
    "ai_extraction_metadata": {
        "extracted_at": "2026-02-15T18:27:09.709141Z",
        "ai_model": "gemini-2.0-flash-lite",
        "extraction_method": "automated",
        "content_length": 5134,
        "url": "https:\/\/reason.com\/2026\/02\/12\/do-construction-workers-have-fourth-amendment-rights-a-federal-court-will-decide",
        "existing_metadata": {
            "author_name": null,
            "published_at": null,
            "domain_name": null,
            "site_name": null,
            "section": null,
            "publisher": null
        }
    }
}

{
    "extracted_at": "2026-02-15T18:27:09.709141Z",
    "ai_model": "gemini-2.0-flash-lite",
    "extraction_method": "automated",
    "content_length": 5134,
    "url": "https:\/\/reason.com\/2026\/02\/12\/do-construction-workers-have-fourth-amendment-rights-a-federal-court-will-decide",
    "existing_metadata": {
        "author_name": null,
        "published_at": null,
        "domain_name": null,
        "site_name": null,
        "section": null,
        "publisher": null
    }
}