ICE officers faced fierce resistance on Friday as they attempted to enforce federal immigration law inside one of New York City’s major courthouses. Backed by well-funded activist groups and cheered on by progressive politicians, agitators physically confronted ICE officers trying to detain illegal immigrants slated for deportation.
Plainclothes ICE agents entered the Manhattan courthouse and quietly began detaining illegal immigrants in the hallway without incident. The situation remained orderly until pro-immigration activists intervened, sparking chaos as they attempted to block the arrests.
In one incident, Dominican national Joaquin Rosario Espinal, an illegal immigrant, was met by at least six ICE agents outside the courthouse following a routine check-in. When agents attempted to detain him, Espinal reportedly resisted arrest, prompting one officer to shout, “Stop fighting! Stop resisting! Stop resisting!”
In a separate incident, masked federal agents apprehended at least four illegal immigrants outside a discreet government building near Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, where they had reportedly arrived for scheduled check-ins with Homeland Security’s Intensive Supervision Appearance Program.
Just a week earlier, authorities detained around ten illegal immigrants as they exited the federal immigration courthouse located at 26 Federal Plaza.
ICE agents have been making arrests all week at the courthouse and a nearby migrant service center as part of the Trump administration’s “Operation At Large.”
Activist groups across New York City have launched a coordinated “courthouse resistance” movement to disrupt deportation efforts. Immigrant ARC, a well-connected pro-migration organization, has led the charge, staging chaotic demonstrations not only at courthouses but also at other key locations throughout the city. Similar resistance groups have emerged in cities like Nashville, Chicago, and Boston, sparking disorder and confrontations. Even New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has joined the effort, claiming the past few weeks have been “frightening” for the city’s immigrant communities.
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