The Justice Department admitted to a federal judge in New York that it mistakenly used an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memo to justify arrests at immigration courthouses. This memo, from May 2025, applies to most courthouses but not federal immigration courts, where ICE agents have been arresting people attending their hearings. The error was revealed during a lawsuit by advocacy groups challenging these arrests, which are part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration. Despite the mistake, the Justice Department maintains that the arrests are legal. The Department of Homeland Security stated that their policy remains unchanged, and they will continue to arrest individuals at immigration courts. The New York Civil Liberties Union, representing the advocacy groups, highlighted the significant impact of this admission, as many noncitizens have been detained far from their homes. The judge has not yet responded to the Justice Department’s admission.
QUESTION: How might the Justice Department’s admission of error influence public trust in government agencies and their handling of immigration policies?
DOJ tells judge it incorrectly used ICE memo for immigration court arrests
