Federal Judge Strikes Down ICE Policies on Courthouse Arrests and Detention

U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts ruled on June 24, 2026, against certain Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies that expanded courthouse arrests and extended detention times in ICE facilities. The judge, appointed by President Joe Biden, found that ICE and the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) failed to provide adequate justification for the changes, violating the Administrative Procedure Act. Pitts' ruling follows a lawsuit from asylum seekers challenging the 2025 policies that removed restrictions on civil immigration arrests at courthouses and allowed detainees to remain in short-term holding for up to 72 hours instead of the previous 12-hour limit. The judge criticized the government's rationale for the policies, stating they did not address the potential negative impact on immigrants' attendance at court proceedings. The ruling vacates the policies rather than issuing a nationwide injunction, allowing the administration to pursue new immigration enforcement measures if they comply with federal law. The Department of Homeland Security responded critically to the ruling, labeling it as judicial activism.