Federal judge blocks ICE from making arrests in court!
Federal Judge Kevin Castel issued the order in the Southern District of New York.
Washington, May 18 (EFE).-
A federal judge in New York largely barred Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Monday from making arrests inside or near immigration courts in the city, a decision that reverses earlier rulings and questions the legal basis for the practice.
U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel issued the order in the Southern District of New York, finding that the policy the federal government used to justify courthouse arrests was based on a misinterpretation of internal guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security.
The ruling, reviewed by EFE, marks a shift from the judge’s previous decisions, which had allowed the arrests to continue until the government acknowledged in March that it had erred by incorrectly applying an administrative guidance document.
The practice had been a central and controversial element of the Donald Trump administration’s immigration strategy in New York City, with migrants being arrested while attending routine court hearings. Civil rights organizations said the policy discouraged migrants from appearing in court.
Plaintiffs argued that the arrests created fear among migrants and could undermine access to due process, while the Department of Homeland Security defended the measure as a necessary tool for enforcing deportation orders. EFE dte/lds
