Federal Judge Limits Warrantless Immigration Arrests in Washington, D.C.

A federal judge has blocked U.S. immigration agents from making certain warrantless arrests in Washington, D.C. The ruling states that agents likely broke the law when arresting people without warrants. The decision specifically applies to arrests made away from the U.S. border. It covers arrests conducted inside homes, workplaces, and other non-public areas. The judge issued a preliminary injunction. This is a temporary order that stops the practice while a broader lawsuit moves forward. The case centers on whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents overstepped their authority. The judge found that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in proving these warrantless arrests violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. For now, agents in the district must obtain a judicial warrant or arrest someone at the border or port of entry. The U.S. Department of Justice has not yet commented on the ruling.