Federal immigration authorities apprehended several individuals at the Phoenix immigration court on Tuesday.
During the incident, one attorney described the scene as “mayhem,” adding that people who believed their cases had been dismissed were taken into custody, the Tucson Sentinel reported.
Newsweek has contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment.
Why It Matters
In January, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a new directive reversing its policy on protected areas and courthouse arrests. The original policy sought to restrict ICE enforcement in sensitive locations, including courtrooms, to ensure that individuals could access vital services without fear of detention.
What To Know
Isaac Ortega, an immigration attorney in Phoenix, reported that agents arrested his client shortly after a court hearing on Tuesday morning.
According to Ortega, the officials wore masks and did not disclose which agency they represented, identifying themselves only as federal officers.
Ortega said the agents took his client into custody and transported him to a processing center in Phoenix. As of Tuesday evening, it remained unclear whether his client would be transferred to an immigration detention facility in Eloy, Florence or a location out of state.
Video recorded by a reporter from KTAZ-TV, a Telemundo affiliate in Phoenix, showed multiple federal agents surrounding a woman outside a courthouse. A white van with U.S. government license plates was seen nearby. According to the reporter, family members of a detained woman said she was informed that she faced immediate deportation.
“My client has no criminal history; he entered the U.S. through the CBP program,” Ortega said.
He added that his client was preparing for a credible fear interview, an initial step in the asylum process, when federal agents detained him at the court. Under federal law, immigrants have one year after entering the U.S. to file and pursue an asylum claim.
Attorney Eugene Delgado reported witnessing his client handcuffed by federal officers following a court hearing, according to AZ Central.
As Delgado exited, he observed agents dressed in black in the parking lot, with one carrying a long rifle.
Delgado suggested these arrests might be part of a strategy to increase the number of ICE detentions, regardless of whether individuals have criminal records—a shift from previous enforcement priorities that sought to target “the worst of the worst,” as stated by the Trump administration.
What People Are Saying
Nera Shefer, an immigration attorney, told AZ Central: “The majority of them are going to be waking up tomorrow in their own countries.”
Isaac Ortega, an immigration attorney, told the Tucson Sentinel: “For my client, it’s been frustrating, this type of ping-pong from one part to another.”
What Happens Next
The Trump administration is expected to continue its hard-line immigration enforcement policies, which include mass deportations and revoking the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of migrants.
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