Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union are expected in court today for a Rhode Island immigration case that began four years ago. It centers on Ada Morales, a North Providence resident who was detained by immigration officials despite being a U.S. citizen.

Lawyers on the case are seeking summary judgment to expedite the case as it moves towards a trial. ACLU attorney Jennifer Chang-Newell says the detainment violated Morales’ constitutional rights.

“Because of this immigration detainer, Ms. Morales was strip-searched, she was committed to part of the prison that housed convicted criminals, she was separated from her children and husband for an additional 24 hours,” said Chang-Newell.

“Ms. Morales is asking the court to decide, in her favor, that the federal government and the state government, which held her, didn’t have probable cause, that they violated her fourth amendment rights.”

Morales was born in Guatemala and became a U.S. citizen in 1995. She was detained on an immigration hold in 2009.