Judge bans federal arrests at New York immigration courts

Published May 19, 2026 12:39pm ET | Updated May 19, 2026 12:39pm ET



A federal judge has banned Immigration and Customs Enforcement from arresting illegal immigrants in most cases at New York immigration courthouses.

In a Monday ruling, U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel determined that federal arrests cannot be conducted without exceptional circumstances in and around three Manhattan immigration courts. The ruling does not apply to immigration courts nationwide.

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