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By Newspot Nigeria Editorial Desk
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have dramatically intensified courthouse arrests across the United States, marking a sharp policy reversal under President Donald Trump’s administration. Dressed in plainclothes and operating with heightened stealth, ICE officers are now detaining immigrants — in some cases within minutes of their hearings concluding — as part of a broad federal crackdown aimed at speeding up deportations and amplifying fear within immigrant communities.
🛑 What’s New?
The arrests come on the heels of a January 2025 policy shift that lifted Obama- and Biden-era restrictions on enforcement in sensitive locations, such as courthouses. Now, ICE agents are openly detaining individuals who just concluded immigration hearings, often exploiting legal technicalities or dropped charges to initiate immediate removals.
According to Homeland Security officials, the agency is merely “following the law.” However, immigrant rights groups argue the practice is eroding due process, describing courthouses as “enforcement zones” where immigrants no longer feel safe seeking justice.
📈 By the Numbers:
- Over 22,100 immigrants have been placed in removal proceedings since late February.
- USCIS is issuing about 1,840 Notices to Appear (NTAs) weekly — a dramatic jump from Biden-era figures.
- At least eight immigrants, including two children, were arrested at Denver’s immigration court in just the last two weeks.
- ICE is reportedly under pressure to triple daily detentions to 3,000.
🏛️ How It Works:
When an immigration judge dismisses a case — sometimes because the Department of Homeland Security withdraws charges — ICE now uses that window to immediately detain individuals who no longer have active protections in place. This includes people denied visa extensions, green cards, or asylum, and even those without criminal records.
📍 Where It’s Happening:
From New York City to Phoenix, Seattle to San Antonio, and notably Charlotte and Houston, courthouse arrests have surged. In Charlotte, plainclothes ICE agents have been seen staking out court buildings, workplaces, and even apartments. In Houston, images emerged of detained immigrants being led away from the Federal Building by ICE.
⚖️ Reactions from the Ground:
Advocates and attorneys say the crackdown is a blow to due process and undermines faith in the justice system.
“The jackboots of ICE are terrorizing immigrant communities that are trying to take advantage of the due process of law they are entitled to,” said Denver immigration attorney Hans Meyer.
“Now immigrants are questioning if the legal way is really the right way,” added Jennifer Piper of the American Friends Service Committee.
📌 What’s Next:
With the Trump administration pushing a law-and-order agenda under executive orders like “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful,” many expect the arrest zones to expand to other historically protected spaces — such as churches, shelters, and schools.
As immigration policy takes a more aggressive turn, legal experts, human rights groups, and immigrant families across America brace for what some are calling a new era of targeted intimidation.
Stay tuned to Newspot Nigeria for continued coverage of U.S. immigration enforcement and its far-reaching implications.
🗞️ Reported by Newspot Nigeria — your window to global developments with an African perspective.