In a significant ruling for immigrant rights, U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel has barred federal immigration agents from making arrests in and around three immigration court buildings in Manhattan, except under exceptional circumstances.
The decision immediately halts a controversial practice introduced during the Trump administration that allowed federal agents to detain individuals who appeared in court to comply with immigration requirements and pursue asylum or removal proceedings.
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For many immigrants and their families, the arrests created scenes of fear and uncertainty, with some individuals taken into custody in courthouse hallways moments after attending their hearings.
Judge Castel said that while the federal government has a legitimate interest in enforcing immigration laws, individuals must also be able to appear before immigration judges “without fear of arrest.” He emphasized that access to the courts is essential to ensuring due process and the fair adjudication of asylum and removal claims.
The ruling does not prevent immigration authorities from making arrests elsewhere or from detaining individuals at courthouses when there is a serious public safety threat. However, it restores boundaries first established under a federal policy issued five years ago.
Castel noted that the lawsuit before him was likely to succeed because the Trump administration’s decision to rescind those protections appeared to be “arbitrary and capricious.”
The judge also pointed to a recent reversal by government attorneys, who acknowledged that policies adopted in 2025 permitting arrests in and around courthouses did not, in fact, apply to immigration courts.
Given that clarification, Castel said it was necessary to “correct a clear error and prevent a manifest injustice.”
The ruling arose from a lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union, Make the Road New York, and several other advocacy groups.
Amy Belsher, Director of Immigrants’ Rights Litigation at the NYCLU, welcomed the decision, describing it as “an enormous win for noncitizen New Yorkers seeking to safely attend their immigration court proceedings.”
The ruling applies specifically to immigration courts located at 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street, and 290 Broadway.
The lawsuit was originally filed last August on behalf of immigrant advocacy organizations African Communities Together and The Door.
Beth Baltimore, Deputy Director of The Door’s Legal Services Center, said the decision offers hope to immigrants who were afraid to attend mandatory court hearings.
“Our staff continues to work tirelessly to support Door members who were terrified to go to their required court appearances,” Baltimore said. “We stand with our members to fight for those impacted by courthouse arrests, including those who remain detained.”
Although the ruling applies only to the three Manhattan immigration courts, advocates view it as a major victory for due process and a meaningful safeguard for immigrants seeking relief through the legal system.
