November 6, 2025
New York, New York—Children’s Rights has filed an amicus in Liam M., on an appeal in New York’s Appellate Division – First Department. The case involves lengthy, unlawful surveillance imposed by the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) in New York City against a mother of two young children, despite the fact that there were no allegations that she was unable to safely care for them.
The mother is appealing a series of supervision orders issued by the Family Court that allowed ACS to conduct numerous unannounced home searches over the course of more than a year – even sending local law enforcement to search the family’s home and interview the children at school alone after the mother and children moved to Florida.
The amicus brief cites powerful clinical and academic findings that highlight the severe and lasting harms done to children and parents as a result of unnecessary family surveillance. Children’s Rights was joined in the filing by the National Association of Counsel for Children, the Juvenile Law Center, Lawyers for Children, and the National Center for Youth Law.
The case raises important issues of local and national significance about the harmful impact of family surveillance and how that harm informs children’s and parents’ independent rights under the Fourteenth Amendment right to family integrity, and the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable government searches.
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About Children’s Rights: Children’s Rights is a national advocacy organization dedicated to improving the lives of children living in or impacted by America’s child welfare, juvenile legal, immigration, education, and healthcare systems. We use civil rights impact litigation, advocacy and policy expertise, and public education to hold governments accountable for keeping kids safe and healthy. Our work centers on creating lasting systemic change that will advance the rights of children for generations. For more information, please visit childrensrights.org.