U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been arresting immigrants in New York courthouses, according to Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas. While state law bars ICE from making arrests inside courtrooms, agents have detained individuals in hallways and outside buildings.
The Protect Our Courts Act, passed in 2020, restricts ICE from making courthouse arrests unless they have a federal judge’s warrant. Lawmakers, including Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, warn such actions may deter immigrants from seeking legal protections.
Gov. Kathy Hochul criticized federal interference in state laws protecting immigrants. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has sued New York over its 2019 law allowing noncitizens to obtain driver’s licenses, escalating tensions over immigration policy.
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