The Justice Department has sued an Ohio court, alleging a new rule that blocks federal immigration arrests at or near the courthouse unlawfully interferes with federal enforcement and forces Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into potentially riskier arrest settings. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday.
The rule in question, established by the Franklin County Municipal Court, prohibits civil arrests at the courthouse unless officers possess a judicial warrant. The Department of Justice contends this rule conflicts with federal immigration law, which empowers ICE agents to make arrests under certain circumstances using administrative warrants or sometimes without any warrant.
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate stated that such rules "obstruct federal law enforcement and facilitate evasion of federal law by dangerous criminal aliens, despite Congress’s direction that federal agents detain and remove them." He added, "Throughout the country, and including in this courthouse specifically, federal agents have routinely and safely conducted arrests. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting that important federal prerogative."