Judge Blocks ICE Arrests at Lower Manhattan Immigration Hearings

Federal immigration agents can no longer detain immigrants without criminal records at two of Lower Manhattan’s busiest immigration courts, after a forceful ruling this week by U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel. Castel’s order, handed down on May 18, specifically targets ICE’s practice of waiting inside and outside 26 Federal Plaza and 290 Broadway to arrest people attending court-ordered hearings about their status.

Attorneys and advocates at both buildings said ICE’s presence had already dropped by Wednesday morning, as news of the ruling ricocheted through Chinatown and Civic Center. “People are walking in without looking over their shoulder for the first time in months,” said Maritza López, an immigration lawyer based on Canal Street. “It’s a huge relief for our clients and their families.”

The judge’s decision comes after nearly a year of complaints from lawyers and local electeds, who reported that ICE agents—often in plainclothes—had been detaining individuals with no criminal history on their way to mandatory court appearances. According to court documents, some cases involved people arriving with young children or elderly parents, only to be taken from the courthouse steps.

The ruling does not prevent ICE from making arrests elsewhere in the city, but it draws a hard line at targeting people fulfilling court obligations. Tenants of the Federal Plaza office tower, who have seen ICE agents staking out the lobby since last summer, called the decision overdue. “If you can’t go to court safely, the whole system falls apart,” said a staffer at a nonprofit on the 10th floor.

Advocates are now watching closely to see if ICE shifts tactics, but for the moment, the mood at the two buildings is lighter. With spring’s first real heat in the air and school groups back on Centre Street, the city’s immigrant families are feeling a bit less hunted—at least for this week.