A tragic case out of South Florida is raising serious concerns for teens pulled into the tight grip of immigration enforcement. A 19-year-old Mexican national, Royer Perez-Jimenez, recently died while in ICE custody at a detention facility, with early reports pointing to a possible suicide. The incident is still under…
Articles Posted in Courthouse Arrests
DOJ Hires 36 New Immigration Judges After Major Exodus
This week, the Justice Department announced that it has hired 36 new immigration judges — 11 permanent and 25 temporary — for the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), a key agency that handles immigration court proceedings in deportation cases. What’s happening? The hiring comes after several months of layoffs…
A New Enforcement Era: USCIS Gives Special Agents Law Enforcement Powers
Introducing sweeping changes, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has expanded its role by gaining law enforcement powers previously limited to agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Under a new final rule published today, USCIS will now recruit 1,811-classified special agents—fully empowered officers…
Judge in Lawsuit Over San Diego Immigration Courthouse Arrests Questions ICE practices
A new lawsuit filed by a man detained in San Diego, California, is challenging the controversial practice of courthouse arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taking place in recent months. The case could offer critical insight into the government’s approach in making these arrests. (A.M. v. Larose (3:25-cv-01412)) The man identified…
Justice Department Sues New York Over Legislation Blocking Immigration Courthouse Arrests
The growing presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at immigration courthouses nationwide has prompted several states to enact laws preventing ICE from arresting or detaining individuals attending their immigration hearings. One such law passed by the state of New York is the “Protect Our Courts Act,” which…