A federal judge has issued a nationwide block on a policy by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allowed the arrest of illegal aliens at courthouses. The ruling was made by a California-based U.S. District Judge, who determined that ICE cannot detain illegal aliens at immigration courts.
The judge's decision comes despite a previous Supreme Court ruling that federal district courts lack the statutory authority to issue nationwide injunctions. However, the judge argued that he was able to issue a nationwide injunction in this case because the plaintiffs satisfied the requirements for class certification.
The policy in question was part of an executive order signed by the President in January 2025, which aimed to enforce immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens. The order stated that it was the policy of the United States to achieve the total and efficient enforcement of those laws, including through lawful incentives and detention capabilities.
The judge's ruling vacated the Trump Administration's policy targeting illegal aliens at courthouses. In a 70-page opinion, the judge wrote that Congress has commanded federal agencies to think before they act, and that the agencies failed to provide reasoned explanations for their actions.
The judge concluded that the challenged policies were arbitrary and capricious, and therefore in contravention of the Administrative Procedures Act. This is the second time the judge has blocked the administration from making arrests at immigration courthouses.
Earlier this year, the judge blocked ICE from making arrests in his district in the Northern District of California. The latest ruling effectively halts the policy nationwide, providing a significant development in the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement.
