Federal agents can’t make arrests in N.Y. immigration courts, judge rules
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal judge ruled that immigration agents can no longer make arrests without exceptional circumstances in and around three Manhattan buildings where immigration proceedings occur, halting a practice started under the Trump administration.
- The ruling aims to protect individuals attending removal proceedings and asylum claims from fear of arrest, while still allowing arrests away from courts or in cases of serious public safety threats.
- The decision came after government lawyers changed their stance, acknowledging that 2025 policies on courthouse arrests did not apply to immigration courts, prompting the judge to correct what he called a clear error.
- The lawsuit was brought by immigrant advocacy groups including the New York Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union, who hailed the ruling as a significant victory for noncitizen New Yorkers.
- The ruling applies specifically to immigration courts at 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street, and 290 Broadway in Manhattan, and does not have nationwide effect.