New York Attorney General Letitia James Challenges ICE Courthouse Arrests

New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken action against the practice of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out arrests inside federal immigration courthouses. In an amicus brief filed in African Communities Together v. Lyons, Attorney General James asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to block recent federal policies that authorize widespread courthouse arrests and permit the abrupt dismissal of immigrants’ cases.

Attorney General James contends that these policies put families at risk, compromise public safety for all New Yorkers, and threaten the justice system’s integrity.

“Courthouses are dedicated to the pursuit of justice, not targeted harassment and arrests,” said Attorney General James. “With these cruel and unlawful courthouse arrests, the federal government is weaponizing fear to push immigrants into the shadows, drive families apart, and risk everyone’s safety. I will not stand by while New Yorkers are stripped of their rights, and our courts are used for intimidation.”

According to the brief, arresting individuals as they appear for immigration hearings discourages participation not only in immigration court but throughout the justice system. Immigrant New Yorkers may become fearful of testifying in state and local courts, pursuing orders of protection, or participating in other essential hearings. This chilling effect can hinder prosecutors’ efforts to hold criminals accountable and prevent victims from accessing justice, ultimately endangering public safety, she argued.

Attorney General James further notes that these policies force immigrants to avoid pursuing their cases out of fear of arrest or deportation, pushing families into the shadows. This fear can prevent people from reporting crimes, seeking medical care, or accessing other critical services. Communities become more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and public health risks.

“When parents are too afraid to bring their children to the doctor, communicable diseases spread more easily; when families avoid schools or places of worship, children’s education and community ties suffer,” she said.

The brief references a tragic case in which a child died after his parents delayed medical care due to fear of reporting to immigration authorities.

Attorney General James highlights the broader impact of these policies on families and communities. She says that millions of immigrants, including 640,000 undocumented New Yorkers, are essential to the state’s workforce, tax base, and civic life. Courthouse arrests and detentions occurring before individuals can legally defend their right to remain in the U.S. disrupt households, separate parents from children, and inflict lasting trauma.

She alleges that children affected by these policies often face extreme psychological distress including anxiety, depression, and PTSD which can persist into adulthood.

New York has previously fought against unlawful courthouse arrests. In 2020, Attorney General James secured a ruling preventing the Trump administration from conducting civil immigration arrests in and around state courthouses. These protections were then codified the same year through the Protect Our Courts Act. The new federal policies, she argues, reintroduce the harms that New York’s laws were intended to prevent, now targeting immigrants in federal courthouses.

New York Attorney General Letitia James Challenges ICE Courthouse Arrests