Immigration advocates sue LexisNexis over personal data

Students have been advocating for law schools to sever ties with LexisNexis because of its contracts for providing information to U.S. immigration authorities.  Kathleen Foody for the Associated Press reports that LexisNexis Risk Solutions allegedly violated Illinois law by collecting and combining extensive personal information and selling it to third parties including federal immigration authorities, according to a lawsuit filed yesterday.

The result is “a grave threat to civil liberties,” the activists and two immigration advocacy groups argued. The lawsuit asks a Cook County judge to prevent the data broker from selling personal information without consent.

The complaint also notes that LexisNexis’ Accurint product, which is sold to law enforcement, incorporates information that isn’t publicly available, including correctional bookings, vehicle collision records and license plate reader databases.

KJ