DOJ admits ICE used wrong memo to justify immigration courthouse arrests

Justice Department lawyers admitted in a letter to U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel on March 25, 2026, that ICE had incorrectly cited a May 2025 enforcement memo to justify arresting migrants inside immigration courthouses. The memo authorized civil enforcement actions "in or near courthouses" but did not cover immigration courts, which fall under DOJ jurisdiction. Despite the admission, DHS said arrests at immigration courts would continue, stating the agency had "full authority" independent of the memo.