REPORT: Judge Bars Most ICE Arrests At Immigration Courts In New York City
A judge reportedly barred federal agents on Monday from making most immigration-related arrests at multiple courthouses in New York City.
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U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel ruled federal agents cannot make arrests in and around the immigration courts at 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street and 290 Broadway in Manhattan, according to a written decision obtained by The Associated Press (AP). Agents are still allowed to make immigration-related arrests away from immigration courts, he said. They are also allowed to conduct immigration-related apprehensions at immigration courts when serious threats to public safety are present, the ruling read.
Castel noted “a strong governmental interest in enforcing immigration laws,” but argued for allowing individuals pursuing asylum claims or attending removal proceedings to appear in court “without fear of arrest,” according to the written ruling. The judge reversed course from his 2025 decision that did not halt the policy, Fox News Digital reported.
A May 2025 from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons states federal agents should generally avoid making immigration-related arrests inside or near courthouses where only non-criminal proceedings are taking place. In the event that an arrest needs to be made in or nearby courthouses hosting non-criminal proceedings, agents must obtain approval from the respective Field Office Director, Special Agent in Charge or their designee before going ahead. (RELATED: Breaking Down Trump’s 2025 Immigration Enforcement Numbers)
In March, Justice Department (DOJ) attorneys said they needed to correct previous claims that the May 2025 memo covered immigration courts, according to Fox News Digital. The government eventually said the document “does not and has never applied” to such courts.
Castel indicated his recent ruling helped “to correct a clear error and prevent a manifest injustice.” The ruling follows a lawsuit from the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Make the Road NY, among others, the AP reported.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement in response to the ruling. “It is common sense to take illegal aliens into custody following the completion of their removal proceedings. Nothing prohibits arresting a lawbreaker where you find them. We are confident we will ultimately be vindicated in this case,” the department said.
A DOJ lawyers’ spokesperson declined to provide a comment to the AP.
Amy Belsher, director of the NYCLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Litigation, reacted to Castel’s ruling by calling it, “an enormous win for noncitizen New Yorkers seeking to safely attend their immigration court proceedings,” according to the outlet.
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