MIAMI, FL — In a coordinated effort, plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested at least four individuals at Miami’s downtown immigration courthouse on Wednesday, following their routine hearings. The arrests have sparked concern among immigration advocates about the growing use of expedited removal procedures.
The Arrests Unfolded in Plain View
Federal agents from ICE waited for hours in the hallways outside two busy courtrooms, sitting in on routine immigration hearings and following their targets after the proceedings. The agents, who were in plain clothes, then detained the men as they exited the courtrooms.
“I am not afraid,” one of the detained men, a Cuban national, told his wife and daughter as ICE agents placed him under arrest. His family had expressed concerns about his ongoing green card application.
Expedited Removal Tactics
The move to arrest individuals who had pending cases in immigration court is part of a broader strategy to utilize expedited removal, a process that bypasses the need for a judge’s intervention and allows for quicker deportations. According to ICE, these arrests are tied to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) memo from January, which recommends putting immigrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years into expedited removal proceedings.
A spokesperson for ICE confirmed that these individuals were arrested due to their eligibility for expedited removals.
Legal Concerns Raised
The tactic has sparked outrage among legal professionals. Kelli Stump, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, called the arrests “a flagrant betrayal of basic fairness and due process,” adding that it undermines the role of immigration courts in dispensing justice.
In one instance, a Cuban man, whose case had been dismissed by a judge, was also taken into ICE custody after his asylum case was closed by the government. This aligns with recent federal rulings allowing for mandatory detention of certain recent arrivals.
Continued Deportation Efforts Across the Country
These arrests are not limited to Miami. ICE agents have also carried out similar actions in immigration courts in cities like Las Vegas, New York City, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Although this strategy has been used in the past, it typically targeted individuals with criminal backgrounds.
Courtroom Chaos
The arrests occurred in the late morning and early afternoon in two specific courtrooms, where ICE agents were seen cracking jokes while waiting for specific individuals to exit. They had warrants on hand, suggesting they were well-prepared for the operation.
Several immigration attorneys have warned that this increased presence of agents outside courtrooms is part of a broader agenda under the current administration to push more immigrants into detention or self-deportation by subjecting them to mandatory detention.
The Call for Legal Representation
Immigration advocates are urging individuals with pending cases to seek legal counsel and consider requesting virtual hearings to avoid the potential risk of being arrested. With ICE agents on standby, many fear this will become a regular occurrence as the government intensifies efforts to speed up deportations.
Source Attribution
- Miami Herald
- ICE and Department of Homeland Security
