In a startling display of enforcement, immigration agents arrested at least 11 asylum seekers outside a San Diego immigration courtroom on Thursday.
The arrests came immediately after their hearings in the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building, part of a larger strategy by the Trump administration to accelerate deportations.
One detainee, a 38-year-old man from Venezuela, had an open asylum case and was taken into custody despite having a pending legal process.
Leslie Santos, the man’s immigration attorney, expressed her shock at the sudden detention, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the current immigration landscape.
These courthouse arrests align with a new initiative from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aimed at enhancing deportation efforts nationwide.
Following the Thursday detentions, ICE continued its operations into Friday, detaining nine additional individuals.
In January, President Donald Trump implemented an executive order that expands expedited removal processes, which the American Civil Liberties Union has since challenged in court.
Under this new policy, undocumented immigrants who cannot prove that they have lived in the United States for at least two years may face immediate expedited removal proceedings, essentially allowing some individuals to be deported without a hearing before an immigration judge.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), this has been the longstanding law that ICE is finally adhering to.
DHS stated, “Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals,” emphasizing a need for compliance with legal standards.
Nevertheless, they assured that credible asylum claims would still progress through the immigration process.
The situation was further complicated when several individuals’ immigration cases were dismissed by a judge just moments prior to their arrests.
For instance, Santos’ client, who sought refuge from persecution related to his LGBTQ identity, fled Venezuela and travelled to the U.S. in June 2024 using the mandated CBP One mobile application for asylum seekers under the Biden administration.
Santos questioned ICE agents about her client’s detention, asserting that his case was not terminated.
Despite the government attorney’s request for a dismissal, Santos opposed the motion, resulting in the judge granting an extension to respond—something that made his arrest even more perplexing.
Crystal Felix, representing the Immigrant Rights Consortium, condemned these actions as an unfortunate attack on the human spirit and a clear violation of due process.
“Cases are scheduled, prepared, and then gutted at the last minute,” she said, pointing to the waste of court resources and disregard for justice.
Reports of similar arrests began surfacing earlier that week.
A 22-year-old Venezuelan man was detained immediately after a judge dismissed his case, demonstrating a potential pattern of targeting asylum seekers outside the courtroom.
His attorney, Michael Hirman, noted that the man, referred to as José, was previously tortured after refusing to turn against the government in Venezuela.
Hirman thought the dismissal marked positive news for José, believing it would clear the way for a petition to remain in the U.S.
However, the mood shifted dramatically, leading to José being shackled in the hallway moments after exiting the courtroom.
Another individual, a Colombian man, was also apprehended despite attending his hearing in good faith without legal representation.
Ruth, a volunteer accompanying him, expressed concern over the implications of such actions on the community, suspecting that ICE was specifically targeting individuals without legal counsel.
Ginger Jacobs, an immigration attorney with over two decades of experience, reacted to the unprecedented ICE presence in courthouses, saying it was unlike anything she had previously witnessed.
Attorneys and advocates noticed that individuals with or without legal representation were arrested, indicating that ICE might be focusing specifically on those who arrived in the U.S. within the last two years.
Jacobs articulated serious concerns regarding due process for those detained in these circumstances: “Are these people going to get a fair hearing?” she asked, regarding those already in immigration court proceedings.
In front of dozens of onlookers—many recording the events—ICE agents moved with what seemed to be a list containing names of individuals to be arrested.
Witnesses reported a tense atmosphere as agents warned bystanders against interfering with the process.
The situation escalated when a man began to hyperventilate while on the ground, handcuffed and surrounded by officers.
Eventually, it became clear he was not the intended target, resulting in his release.
San Diego’s legal rights director, Michelle Celleri, characterized the day’s events as chaotic and distressing.
She acknowledged the swift actions of lawyers and volunteers who stepped in to provide assistance but warned that such high-profile arrests could have lasting repercussions on immigrant willingness to participate in legal proceedings.
“There will most certainly be fear in the community to show up,” she stated, emphasizing the necessity for immigrants to attend their hearings despite increased risks.
As the fallout from these events continues to unfold, the implications of the recent ICE actions at courthouses raise serious questions about the future of asylum seekers in the U.S.
With reports of systemic targeting, advocates fear that those seeking refuge may now feel pressured to remain hidden, further complicating their pursuit of safety and justice.
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