A federal judge in New York barred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from arresting immigrants in or around three federal immigration courthouses in lower Manhattan except under exceptional circumstances involving serious public safety or national security threats. The ruling took effect on June 8, 2026, and applies specifically to the courthouses at 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street, and 290 Broadway in Manhattan [1, 2].

The judge’s 15-page order requires ICE to reinstate the narrower restrictions on courthouse arrests set during the Biden administration in April 2021, while a broader lawsuit over enforcement policies continues. The ruling responds to a lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Make the Road NY, and other immigrant advocacy groups [1, 2].

Amy Belsher, director of immigrants’ rights litigation at the NYCLU, called the ruling “an enormous win for noncitizen New Yorkers seeking to safely attend their immigration court proceedings.” She said the decision helps protect immigrant families and ensures safer access to justice [1, 2].

The government, represented by Justice Department lawyers, acknowledged a "material mistaken statement of fact" during litigation when defending Trump-era policies that allowed broader ICE arrests at courthouses. The judge noted that the Trump administration’s 2025 policy withdrawing the 2021 ICE enforcement restrictions did not apply to immigration courts and could be considered arbitrary and capricious [1, 2].

The timeline of the case dates back to April 2021 when ICE imposed limits on enforcement inside courthouses. Judge P. Kevin Castel initially cleared the way for more arrests at Manhattan immigration courts in September 2025. However, in March 2026, Justice Department lawyers corrected the record, stating that the 2025 policy did not apply to immigration courts and needed modification [1, 2].

Judge Castel said his ruling aims “to correct a clear error and prevent a manifest injustice” [2]. The current order reinstates protections at the three specified courthouses as the larger lawsuit proceeds.

Further court proceedings will determine whether the Biden-era restrictions will remain in place permanently or if new policies will emerge regarding ICE enforcement at immigration courts.