New ICE Deportation Tactic Sparks Concerns in Virginia and Beyond

In Northern Virginia and across the United States, the Trump administration appears to be using a new tactic to ramp up deportations. Government lawyers are terminating cases inside immigration courts. Then, when people step outside, they are arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), headed for immediate deportation. "A lot of people, including myself, believe this is just arbitrary and cruel, what we are witnessing," said Matthew Noonan, who documented the arrests for New Virginia Majority. A similar scene unfolded in Miami on the same day. Immigration attorney Ofella Calderon notes the chilling effect this tactic has, as people may avoid court appearances for fear of immediate arrest and deportation. A DHS official stated that ICE is "following the law", but Calderon highlights the rarity of post-courtroom arrests in her two decades of experience. This raises concerns about due process and the potential for abuse of power.

NBC4 Washington

ICE agents detain people outside immigration court, strong-arm activists filming

ICE agents detained as many as 11 men outside an immigration court in Sterling, Virginia. Video from activists shows an agent strong-arming two bysta…