Judge Limits ICE Arrests in Manhattan Immigration Courts
A federal judge recently imposed restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding civilian immigration arrests in several Manhattan courtrooms. This decision followed government lawyers’ admission of “material factual errors” related to the defense of the policy.
U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel determined that ICE agents must adhere to the stricter arrest limits established during the Biden administration while a broader case is reviewed.
This ruling is quite a shift from Castel’s earlier stance in early 2025, where he declined to suspend the existing policy. The Justice Department later informed the court that they revisited previous claims about the opening of the ICE court in May 2025. They acknowledged that certain guidance had never been applied to immigration courts.
Castel indicated that this reversal justified reconsidering the earlier ruling to rectify clear errors and avert injustices.
Immigrant advocacy groups supporting the lawsuit argue that the enforcement policies enacted during the Trump administration effectively transformed required immigration hearings into arrest operations, with immigrants being detained by ICE immediately after legal proceedings.
Castel expressed that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their argument that the administration acted arbitrarily in overturning a 2021 ICE policy that restricted courtroom arrests, especially without adequately clarifying how the new approach would apply.
It’s important to note that this recent ruling doesn’t completely ban arrests in court. ICE may still conduct enforcement actions for national security risks, imminent violence, urgent pursuit scenarios, or threats concerning criminal evidence.
Amy Belsher, director of immigrant rights litigation at the New York Citizens United (NYCLU), remarked that this ruling represents a significant victory for noncitizen New Yorkers who wish to attend immigration court proceedings safely.
Requests for comments from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE went unanswered at the time of reporting.
