Chicago Judge Prohibits ICE From Making Arrests in Cook County Courts

Last week, the chief judge of Cook County, which includes the city of Chicago, signed an order prohibiting ICE from arresting people in courts throughout the county, including Chicago. Lately, ICE agents have not only been conducting raids and capturing people on the streets, but they have also been entering courts to arrest people who were there to file complaints or serve as witnesses. 

This has been a common tactic of ICE in several states, and although they are not doing it much in Grand Rapids, we are also petitioning the Michigan Supreme Court in writing to prohibit ICE agents from entering court property in Michigan to detain immigrants. We are still awaiting the decision of the State Supreme Court in Lansing, We hope they will decide that it is an abuse of power by ICE to detain and arrest people in and outside of courthouses.

The judge in Chicago said that if ICE agents arrest people in court, they are violating the law and can themselves be arrested. Legal advocates and pro-immigrant groups have been requesting this order for several months so that people will not stop attending court for fear of being detained and arrested.

This is a victory for immigrants, although ICE will most likely file an appeal against the judge's order, but for now we have this protection.

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MORE IMMIGRANTS IN MICHIGAN GAIN THEIR FREEDOM THROUGH HABEAS CORPUS

This week, eight more immigrants detained in Michigan detention centers gained their freedom after a federal judge in Detroit ruled in their favor. In these cases, as I mentioned last week, the immigrants filed a legal habeas corpus petition requesting their release or at least a hearing to demand bail, regardless of the fact that they entered the United States without permission.

More than two months ago, the Immigration Appeals Court, in accordance with the decision of Trump's attorney general (head of the Attorney General's Office), had said that people who entered without permission, regardless of how many years ago they entered, did not qualify to request release from detention centers on bail. However, through this special appeal, immigrants who do not have a serious criminal record and have lived in the United States for many years can file a Habeas Corpus appeal so that a federal judge can review their case and decide whether they deserve to be released on bail.

If you have a family member or friend who is detained, you should speak with a lawyer to find out if they qualify to request consideration for release on parole, even if they entered without a permit or visa, (with the exception of people who entered through the program called “ESTA” for certain countries, especially in Europe, and for some time from Chile and Argentina who entered without a visa), who generally did not have the right to request a hearing for release on bail.

The important thing is that if you have any questions, you should speak with an experienced immigration lawyer like me.

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DAY OF THE DEAD PROGRAM

I would also like to invite you to participate in a program that will take place on November 1 to commemorate the Day of the Dead in front of the ICE office on Ottawa Street in Grand Rapids at 1:00 PM. To commemorate those who have died in ICE Detention Centers, including those who have died under the Trump administration. So far under this administration, more immigrants have died in detention than during the last four years of Biden's administration. We also want to show solidarity with detained immigrants.

If you are interested in attending, it will be a non-violent program to show the community that we will not tolerate the detention and mistreatment of immigrants.