ICE agents arrest immigrants at federal courthouse in Dallas, across country
This week, in immigration court in Dallas, as well as in immigration courts across the country, some immigrants who attended their scheduled hearings were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents.
Multiple sources have confirmed that several people were arrested on the spot at the federal courthouse after their cases were dismissed in Dallas Wednesday. This has also occurred in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Miami and Phoenix.
Dallas immigration attorney Haim Vasquez said Trump officials are using a loophole in the system, dismissing a person's immigration case, thereby removing their temporary protected status and making them immediately eligible for arrest and deportation. This is happening during what's called a master calendar docket, which is a check-in early on in the immigration case process. Vasquez said this is an effort that the board of immigration appeals recently greenlit under a provision that refers to the arrest and deportation of who they call "arriving aliens."
"I would not say that it's illegal," Vasquez said. "I would say it's an abuse of due process. It's basically removing due process because if the person is allowed to enter the U.S. to fight an immigration case, at least they should be allowed to present their case and make a final determination. It is an erosion of the judicial process and system in this country."
In an emailed statement to CBS News Texas, the Department of Homeland Security wrote:
"Secretary Noem is reversing Biden's catch and release policy that allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens to be let loose on American streets. This Administration is once again implementing the rule of law.
Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.
If they have a valid credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation."
Immigration attorney Paul Hunker, who formerly served as chief counsel for ICE in Dallas, called this new development an "aggressive" use of DHS's arrest and removal authority.
In a written statement, Hunker said:
"The Department of Homeland Security is taking people out of removal proceedings, many of whom have pending relief applications, and expeditiously removing them. It is unprecedented for them to programmatically work with the ICE attorneys and immigration judges to dismiss cases and remove people under expedited proceedings."
