ICE Continues Arrests at Manhattan Immigration Court Despite Court Orders

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested at least five people at Manhattan’s 26 Federal Plaza immigration courthouse despite two federal court orders — including a May ruling by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel — halting such arrests, according to a letter civil rights groups submitted in an ongoing lawsuit and first reported by The Intercept. At least one of the detained men had no criminal history apart from a trespassing charge tied to his border crossing, and two men remained in immigration detention awaiting habeas petitions as of the court filing. The Department of Homeland Security denied any wrongdoing, telling Documented the arrests were “lawful” and complied with the narrow exceptions to the judges’ orders.