• A federal judge ruled against ICE arrests at immigration courts.
• The ruling reestablishes limits on how long noncitizens can be detained.
• The decision is a response to practices initiated during the Trump administration.
• Community leaders and lawmakers criticize ICE’s courthouse arrests.
• DHS officials have condemned the ruling as an act of judicial overreach.

A federal judge in California has issued a ruling that blocks Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from making arrests at immigration courts nationwide, overturning a controversial policy from the Trump administration aimed at increasing deportations. U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts determined that ICE’s practices were "arbitrary and capricious" and violated the Administrative Procedure Act, noting that courthouse arrests had traumatized many noncitizens attending hearings, leading to a chilling effect on court attendance, according to CBS News, Reuters, and Los Angeles Times.

The ruling reinstates previous Biden-era policies that limited courtroom arrests to very specific circumstances and reduced detention limits to 12 hours, following a class-action lawsuit filed against ICE’s practices. The judge articulated that the earlier policies were not adequately justified and lacked necessary explanations for rescission under existing laws. This decision effectively reinstates guidelines that prioritize due process for noncitizens appearing in courts, according to Reuters and Los Angeles Times.

The policies enforced by the Trump administration were criticized for putting undue stress on families and fostering an environment of fear among individuals seeking legal recourse. Critics, including immigration attorneys and local leaders, stated that these tactics punished individuals appearing for routine check-ins and hearings. Despite a defense of these practices from the Department of Homeland Security, most notably from General Counsel James Percival, who labeled the ruling as “naked judicial activism,” the judge emphasized the necessity for lawful and reasoned enforcement of immigration policies, according to CBS News and Los Angeles Times.