New York, NY—Less than 24 hours after U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel of the Southern District of New York granted a stay prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting civil immigration arrests in or near immigration courthouses in New York City, ICE agents arrested an individual at 26 Federal Plaza in defiance of the judge’s order.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“No agency is above the law, and ICE is not an exception. The integrity of our judicial system depends on people being able to appear in court safely and exercise their legal rights with dignity and due process. Defying a federal court order undermines the rule of law and erodes public trust in our institutions. Yesterday’s ruling was a critical step toward restoring accountability and protecting access to justice for immigrant New Yorkers. New York families deserve a justice system where the law is respected and where no one is punished simply for showing up to court. If ICE cannot follow the law, it simply should no longer exist.”