New York, NY—Yesterday, in a court filing, it was revealed that the Trump administration erroneously relied on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memo to justify arrests at immigration courthouses as part of the federal government’s mass detention and deportation agenda. The Department of Justice conceded that the ICE memo “does not and has never applied to civil immigration enforcement actions in or near” immigration courts.
Over the summer, half of all immigration courthouse arrests nationwide occurred in New York City. During this time, immigration courthouse arrests ramped up, and ICE also increased arrests at mandatory check-ins with the agency.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“Our legal system only works when people can trust our government to uphold our laws and ensure the public safety of all its residents. But the Trump administration has shown a consistent disregard for the rule of law and an even more callous indifference to the lives of immigrants. Courthouses should be places of justice, not traps where people are at risk of being detained for simply showing up. We demand accountability and immediate action to restore trust in our courts, laws, and government.”