Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA federal judge has blocked immigration agents from arresting individuals inside New York City's immigration courts, reversing a previous stance after the government admitted a policy error. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials had previously informed top government lawyers that officers could make arrests inside immigration courthouses, leading to thousands of immigrants being detained immediately after hearings. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in Manhattan expressed "regret" to the federal judge, stating his office mistakenly defended a memo that "does not and has never applied" to immigration court arrests, attributing the error to ICE's legal team. District Judge Keven Castel issued the new order to "correct a clear error and prevent a manifest injustice," acknowledging his previous decision relied on a "clearly erroneous premise" regarding ICE's authority in immigration courts. The Trump administration has ordered immigration judges to dismiss cases when immigrants appear for hearings, making them immediately vulnerable to arrest and removal, which advocacy groups called “ambush”-style arrests violating due process.In fullJudge blocks ICE arrests in immigration courts after agency falsely said agents couldThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in