ICE conducts regular, often-masked arrest operations at Lower Manhattan's immigration court that target immigrants during legally mandated hearings. Agents are frequently seen standing in hallways and outside courtrooms with masks, guns, and handcuffs, taking people away within seconds. Immigration attorneys describe the presence as intimidating for clients and legal counsel, and say the operations interfere with representation. Attorneys express concern that judges may fear retaliation or job loss and therefore side with DHS, contributing to an environment that jeopardizes fairness, due process, and the ability of immigrants to receive impartial decisions at 26 Federal Plaza.
Nneka Jackson, an attorney at the Law Offices of Nneka Jackson, recalled what she felt was an intimidation process as soon as she arrived at 26 Federal Plaza. You go into the courtroom, you see multiple agents with their face covers. You see guns, you see handcuffs It's a very intimidating presence, because there's so many of them, and they're literally waiting outside the courtroom for people to get their cases dismissed, Jackson said.
I think a lot of judges are scared of being retaliated against or losing their jobs, because you've seen in recent cases where there are immigration judges that have high approval ratings have gotten fired, and I think a lot of judges are scared to either get fired or have retaliation, so a lot of them are just agreeing with DHS, Jackson said.
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