Volunteers across the United States are stepping up to support migrants who face arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers immediately after their immigration court hearings.
These volunteers include faith leaders, students, retired lawyers, and community members. They help migrants prepare for possible detention, accompany them, and provide assistance when ICE takes them into custody.
The increase in these arrests began in May when the government started asking judges to dismiss deportation cases. Once cases are dismissed, ICE officers arrest migrants in courthouse hallways and start fast-track deportation proceedings.
In Seattle, the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project responded to growing volunteer interest by creating training videos and “Know Your Rights” information sheets in several languages. Volunteers sign up for shifts online.
Stephanie Gai, a staff attorney with the group, said, “We could not do it without them. Some volunteers even take time off work to help.”
Volunteers assist migrants by helping them memorize important phone numbers, collect contact details for family, and gather personal belongings before arrest. Some volunteers record the arrests and share videos online to raise awareness.
In one Seattle case, three volunteers helped a Colombian man after his deportation case was dismissed, taking his car keys and helping him organize his affairs before ICE officers arrested him outside the courtroom.
In New York, volunteers helped a Spanish-speaking woman who sought assistance finding her husband after ICE detained him despite a judge giving him more time to find a lawyer.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said ICE is “implementing the rule of law” by reversing policies that previously allowed migrants to avoid detention.
While most volunteers assist without issue, some have been arrested for interfering with ICE officers. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was recently arrested for trying to stop a detention.
The volunteer effort spans many cities. In El Paso, Texas, college student Brianna Garcia attends hearings to inform migrants of their rights and record arrests. In Denver, volunteers hand out rights information and escort migrants to their cars after hearings.
Legal advocates have filed a class-action lawsuit aiming to stop ICE arrests outside immigration courts. So far, the government has not released data on how many cases were dismissed or how many arrests were made at courts.
The volunteer network continues to grow as the federal government increases deportation efforts, especially targeting cities and states led by Democratic officials.
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