WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained dozens of migrants at courthouses this week in several major cities, including New York City, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Seattle, in a move that immigration advocates say targets recent arrivals and paves the way for fast-track deportations.
According to family members, attorneys, and news reports, the arrests frequently followed immigration court hearings where judges had just dismissed pending cases. The dismissals, rather than providing relief, may have left these migrants vulnerable to expedited removal, a streamlined deportation process that circumvents the typical appeals system.
The coordinated courthouse arrests mark a sharp escalation in enforcement tactics under President Donald Trump, who has vowed to deport record numbers of undocumented immigrants and blamed U.S. courts and immigration law for slowing down deportation efforts. ICE officials appear to be acting under new guidance issued earlier this year, which instructed officers to revisit cases of migrants previously released but eligible for expedited removal — particularly those who had not submitted formal asylum applications.
A senior official at the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the operations are part of a broader effort to remove individuals allowed into the U.S. under former President Joe Biden’s immigration programs, calling the renewed focus a return to legal compliance.
“ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been,” the official said.
In Phoenix, Arizona, arrests took place on both Tuesday and Wednesday, drawing national attention. One such case involved Geovanni Francisco and his mother, who arrived from Guerrero, Mexico, in 2023 using the CBP One app, a program established under the Biden administration to manage legal entry appointments. Their immigration case was dismissed Wednesday morning — shortly before both were taken into custody by ICE, according to court records.
“They didn’t even give them a chance to gather their things,” said Hilda Ramirez, Francisco’s aunt, who accompanied her sister and nephew to their court appearance.
Advocates warn that the arrests send a chilling message to migrants engaging with the legal process and could deter participation in court proceedings. While ICE has previously made courthouse arrests, the frequency and coordination of this week’s operations mark a notable intensification of Trump’s immigration enforcement policy in 2025.
Critics argue that targeting people immediately after court proceedings undermines due process and punishes compliance with the legal system. They also point out that many migrants now facing removal had entered the country legally, following protocols set by the previous administration.
As immigration policy remains a central issue in the 2025 presidential election cycle, the courthouse arrests spotlight the growing clash between federal enforcement priorities and humanitarian concerns raised by immigrant rights groups across the country.
