On Wednesday, ICE agents detained a group of undocumented immigrants who had been summoned for their appointments in Lower Manhattan. There was also an attempt to arrest a Venezuelan shoplifter connected to one of the defendants, but a state judge intervened to prevent that.
Norveiro Vera Ordnes’ lawyer requested that he be sent to Rikers Island on what they called “voluntary” bail.
A bit further down the street, U.S. immigration agents had at least four individuals in custody, caught near the federal square.
Reports indicate that individuals arrived at a building for scheduled appearances under the Homeland Security Intensive Supervision Appearance Program. This program focuses on immigrants who are at various points in deportation procedures, typically requiring them to check in every few weeks or months.
In one emotional moment, a photo depicted a distraught woman on the ground, crying amid the unfolding scene. Another image showed a father kissing his daughter as federal agents escorted them away.
Extra footage captured a woman glancing back at her daughter as she was placed in a vehicle by an agent, which must have been incredibly tough.
Later in Manhattan Crown Court, Ordnes faced charges for fourth-degree criminal mischief, minor theft, and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Elizabeth Fisher, representing the accused from Harlem’s Neighborhood Defender Services, made a rather unusual request to have her client detained “voluntarily.”
Judge Rachel Pauley set the bail at $100, effectively preventing federal arrests and suggesting that ICE agents remain at a distance from the courthouse.
Pauley, known for her prior role in the Columbia Government Program, noted that such bail requests are “very rare.” She addressed Ordnes directly, saying that bail for his other matter didn’t seem feasible.
As the current administration tightens its grip on immigrants facing final removal orders, reports indicate that large raids are becoming common both in federal courts and nearby locations across the country.
Last week alone, as many as 10 migrants were taken into custody after leaving the Federal Immigration Court at 26 Federal Plaza. Additionally, another 16 were detained from a nearby office building just the day before.
Sources revealed that agents, often masked, recruited individuals and placed them into SUVs parked near the courthouse on a routine basis.
This trend appears to have escalated after directives from the Trump administration, instructing ICE agents to monitor illegal immigration around federal courts as soon as expulsion orders are given by judges.
It’s worth noting that ICE operates from the same building as the Immigration Court in downtown New York City, making such arrests all too convenient for the agents involved.
