A U.S. District Court recently denied a government application for an administrative inspection warrant to enter a private business for the purpose of searching for and seizing undocumented immigrants and investigating a pattern or practice of employing unauthorized aliens (sometimes referred to as a “Blackie’s” warrant after a seminal case, discussed below). Unlike a criminal search warrant, administrative inspection warrants may allow a government agency to search a premises for a civil administrative purpose (as opposed to a criminal investigation) and may generally be issued pursuant to a less rigorous standard as compared to criminal search warrants. In In re Sealed Search Warrant Application, the court rejected the government’s efforts to obtain an administrative inspection warrant rather than a criminal search warrant, reasoning that it could not issue an administrative inspection warrant in the context of a workplace immigration raid based on a lesser showing than that required for criminal search warrants under the Fourth Amendment. No. CV 3:25-MC-05067, 2025 WL 1499054 (S.D. Tex. May 27, 2025). Continue Reading US District Court for the Southern District of Texas Denies Use of Administrative Inspection Warrant for Worksite Immigration Enforcement
Ashley Nyquist
Ashley guides clients through their most sensitive, high-stakes matters, including government investigations and enforcement matters, independent investigations, and internal investigations into issues posing enterprise-level risk. Her broad-ranging practice has spanned some of the most novel, sensitive, and complex issues facing companies and individuals.
Ashley represents clients – from the largest multi-national companies to individuals – in criminal and civil government investigations led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal, state, and foreign regulators. In recent years, she has defended clients against allegations of obstruction of justice, false statements, fraud, corruption, and violations of the False Claims Act. She has considerable experience navigating complex, multi-dimensional matters involving parallel criminal, civil, and reputational risks, and has secured multiple full declinations for her clients in federal criminal and civil investigations. She also conducts internal and independent investigations into allegations ranging from fraud to obstruction to data security to sexual misconduct.
Among Ashley’s specialties are crisis matters requiring rapid response and investigation. She is adept at swift fact-finding and analysis and often handles short-fuse internal investigations involving unique or highly sensitive fact patterns posing potential enterprise-level risk. These matters often expand – through press coverage or otherwise – into complex government investigations involving one or more regulators, such as DOJ, state Attorneys General, and foreign regulators.
Since the early days of the #MeToo movement, Ashley has handled investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct and other types of harassment, discrimination, and workplace misconduct.
Given her deep expertise on investigations-related matters, Ashley also routinely advises clients on internal protocols and best practices related to internal investigations, insider threat matters, law enforcement engagement, and privilege.
Ashley has worked with clients from a variety of sectors and industries, including technology, defense, consumer products, food processing, financial services, life sciences, and education.
Ashley’s pro bono work focuses on representing individual criminal defendants in state court and advising non-profits on law enforcement interactions and enforcement risks.
Before practicing law, Ashley taught high school English in rural China.