A federal judge handed the Trump administration a major win on Friday, ruling that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can continue making arrests of illegal aliens at courthouses in New York City.
The ruling comes despite challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and immigrant rights groups.
District Judge P. Kevin Castel, a George W. Bush appointee, rejected claims that ICE’s courthouse arrest policy was “arbitrary and capricious.”
He found there was insufficient evidence to support the lawsuit’s core argument, effectively upholding the administration’s 2025 guidance allowing ICE arrests at or near immigration courts.
Judge Backs Enforcement Authority
Castel noted that the updated guidance is “more expansive and permissive” than previous versions.
The judge said ICE’s rationale was clear: with New York and other Democrat-led jurisdictions refusing to honor detainer requests in local jails, immigration courts and federal facilities remain among the few secure locations where agents can apprehend criminal aliens.
However, Castel did block a Department of Justice (DOJ) policy that encouraged immigration judges to dismiss cases for the sole purpose of immediately transferring individuals to ICE custody.
Trump Administration’s Crackdown
The courthouse initiative was launched in June as part of President Donald Trump’s broader push to restore law and order on immigration.
The policy allows ICE to detain illegal aliens immediately after “asylum” or immigration hearings.
The move quickly drew fire from the Left.
Critics claimed the arrests would discourage migrants from showing up to court, and activist groups accused ICE of “kidnapping” those taken into custody.
Videos of courthouse arrests went viral as left-wing organizations tried to frame enforcement actions as abuses.
“In its fervor to expel as many immigrants as possible from the country, the Trump administration is targeting immigrants in the very place set up to adjudicate their status: immigration court,” Diana Konaté of African Communities Together said in a statement published by the ACLU.
Left-Wing Resistance
Some judges have even been accused of helping illegal aliens evade law enforcement.
Democrat-aligned Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan was indicted in May on federal charges after she allegedly directed an illegal immigrant to use a private courthouse exit while ICE agents waited with a warrant.
Friday’s ruling ensures ICE can continue operating in New York’s courthouses, despite resistance from Democrats, progressive activists, “sanctuary” politicians, and left-leaning judges.
With President Trump’s directive to step up enforcement, ICE has doubled down on apprehending illegal aliens in secure areas, even as Democrat leaders work to shield them.
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