SHOCK: Biden Judge Orders ICE Agent Arrests at Courthouses
A federal judge has issued a controversial order limiting ICE arrests at courthouses, drawing criticism from immigration enforcement officials.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings, appointed by President Biden, ruled that ICE agents cannot arrest undocumented immigrants at Cook County, Illinois, courthouses without a warrant. The order also warns that ICE officers themselves could face arrest if they violate the court’s directives.
The ruling specifically targets “collateral arrests,” where ICE agents take into custody undocumented immigrants encountered incidentally while pursuing someone for whom they have a warrant.
“Courthouses must be places where witnesses and suspects feel safe,” Judge Cummings wrote. “The fair administration of justice requires that courts remain open and accessible, and that litigants and witnesses may appear without fear of civil arrest.”
The decision cites recent cases in the Chicago area in which ICE made collateral arrests outside county courthouses. “One thing seems clear: ICE rousted American citizens from their apartments during the middle of the night and detained them — in zip ties no less — for far longer than the ‘brief’ period authorized by the operative regulation,” the judge wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security defended its practices, stating, “We aren’t some medieval kingdom; there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law. Nothing in the Constitution prohibits arresting a lawbreaker where you find them.”
This ruling has reignited debate over courthouse arrests, civil liberties, and ICE enforcement under the current administration.
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