Plainclothes ICE agents arrest 4 men at Brooklyn courthouse
Plainclothes ICE agents arrest 4 men at Brooklyn courthouse
POSTED 5:45 PM, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017, BY ALIZA CHASAN
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ICE officers arrested four men at a courthouse in Brooklyn.
(Brooklyn Defender Services)
BOERUM HILL, Brooklyn — Plainclothes immigration officers arrested four undocumented immigrants at a Brooklyn criminal court Thursday.
Officers can legally arrest undocumented immigrants at courthouses, but the practice has been widely criticized by law enforcement officials, including Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials believe allowing these men to stay on the streets would be dangerous.
“Because sanctuary cities like New York City do not honor ICE detainers, aliens, who often have significant criminal histories, are released onto the street, presenting a potential public safety threat,” an ICE spokesperson said. “Courthouse visitors are typically screened upon entry, making arrests inside such facilities far safer for everyone involved.”
Sources say three of the men arrested were confirmed Niños Malos gang members. The last man is an associate of the gang. All four men are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
ICE policy directs officers to avoid making arrests at sensitive locations — schools, places of worship and hospitals — without approval from supervisors. They do not consider courthouses to be sensitive locations.
“ICE should treat courthouses as sensitive locations, like it does schools and houses of worship, to allow everyone free access to our justice system and stop the chilling effect felt by victims and witnesses,” Gonzalez said in August.
Immigration officials, however, say courthouses are often the best places to locate targets and take them into custody.
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