{"id":1871,"date":"2026-05-19T13:39:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/19\/new-york-federal-judge-bans-ice-arrests-at-manhattan-immigration-courts\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T13:39:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:39:40","slug":"new-york-federal-judge-bans-ice-arrests-at-manhattan-immigration-courts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=1871","title":{"rendered":"New York federal judge bans ICE arrests at Manhattan immigration courts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"2acc9df3-63c8-4026-bb14-e439694f62d2\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a child cries while surrounded by two other children and law enforcement officers\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/e8e080ca38752016e5973e41fdd8918a52c38bda\/0_0_5000_3333\/master\/5000.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"309.969\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A child weeps as her father is detained by federal immigration officers at US immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, on 30 June 2025.<\/span> Photograph: David Dee Delgado\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"2acc9df3-63c8-4026-bb14-e439694f62d2\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A child weeps as her father is detained by federal immigration officers at US immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, on 30 June 2025.<\/span> Photograph: David Dee Delgado\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">New York federal judge bans ICE arrests at Manhattan immigration courts<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-15in7js\">\n<p>Ruling blocks detentions at three federal courthouses except in rare cases amid protests over tactics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A federal judge in New York has banned US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/ice-us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">ICE<\/a>) agents from arresting immigrants in or around three federal courthouses in lower Manhattan, where vigorous confrontations have played out since the start of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s second presidency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Under an order issued on Monday by P Kevin Castel, a US district judge, federal agents are no longer allowed to make arrests of immigrants except under exceptional circumstances at the sites where hearings are held before immigration judges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Castel\u2019s ruling came in response to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.courthousenews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/complaint-immigration-court-arrests-nyc.pdf\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">lawsuit<\/a> brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union, Make the Road NY and other groups.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"8d2a00be-aac2-43b2-8899-a629848955ca\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-3 | 3\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1bg5532\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/jul\/25\/new-york-immigration-courts-photo-essay\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\">One day inside the deportation machine at a federal immigration court in New York<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The ACLU\u2019s Amy Belsher called the ruling \u201can enormous win for noncitizen New Yorkers seeking to safely attend their immigration court proceedings\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Castel said that his ruling applied to immigration courts at 26 Federal Plaza and two other Manhattan locations \u2013 201 Varick Street and 290 Broadway. The ruling does not apply nationwide.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.courthousenews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ice-ruling-immigration-court-arrests.pdf\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">15-page order<\/a>, Castel said that while there was \u201ca strong governmental interest in enforcing immigration laws\u201d, there also was a serious interest in letting individuals attend removal proceedings and pursue asylum claims before a judge \u201cwithout fear of arrest\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Castel also noted that federal agents still can detain individuals at locations away from immigration courts and also can make arrests at immigration courthouses when there is a serious threat to public safety.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The lower Manhattan federal buildings, including 26 Federal Plaza where ICE maintains an office, have been the site of immigrants arrests, related protests and standoffs between agents and demonstrators which have included the detention of local elected officials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Castel said the boundaries set out in federal policy in April 2021 regarding enforcement actions inside courthouse can remain in effect. He also said that a court case before him was likely to result in a ruling that it was \u201carbitrary and capricious\u201d for the second Trump administration to withdraw that policy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The judge had initially cleared the way for arrests at Manhattan immigration courts in September. But he said that government attorneys had recently reversed their position on the matter, saying they have learned that 2025 policies regarding arrests in and around courthouses set by the Trump administration did not apply to immigration courts after all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He said the government\u2019s new position meant it was necessary to \u201ccorrect a clear error and prevent a manifest injustice\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Castel wrote that federal prosecutors apologized to him in March for a \u201cmaterial mistaken statement of fact that the government made to the court\u201d. The Trump administration blamed the mistake on \u201cagency attorney error\u201d, withdrawing \u201cportions of four briefs\u201d as well as \u201cstatements\u201d made during oral argument.<\/p>\n<figure data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.NewsletterSignupBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-ri3hap\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Castel\u2019s ruling on Monday comes after there had been highly publicized tensions between protesters and federal immigration authorities in cities such as Los Angeles and Minneapolis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The latter city saw widespread street protests after federal agents shot 37-year-old US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, to death in separate cases in January.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the wake of those killings, polling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maristpoll.marist.edu\/polls\/the-actions-of-ice-february-2026\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">revealed<\/a> most Americans believed immigration agents had gone too far with their tactics. And, with midterm elections looming in the fall, the Trump administration made agency leadership changes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">African Communities Together and the Door, groups involved in the legal action yielding Castel\u2019s ruling on Monday, had argued that making arrests at federal immigration locations was a \u201cprofoundly unfair\u201d practice that \u201cundermined the rule of law and the integrity of immigration courts\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Door\u2019s Beth Baltimore said that the judge\u2019s decision \u201cbrings us hope\u201d and said the group \u201ccontinues to work tirelessly to support \u2026 members who were terrified to go to their required court appearances\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/ice-us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/new-york\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">New York<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/usimmigration\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US immigration<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=New%20York%20federal%20judge%20bans%20ICE%20arrests%20at%20Manhattan%20immigration%20courts&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/19\/ice-arrests-ban-manhattan-courts-immigration?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F19%2Fice-arrests-ban-manhattan-courts-immigration&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/19\/ice-arrests-ban-manhattan-courts-immigration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A child weeps as her father is detained by federal immigration officers at US immigration court in Manhattan,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}