Federal Judge Restricts ICE Arrests Without Warrant in Colorado
A federal judge has ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Colorado may only make warrantless arrests of undocumented immigrants if there is a reasonable belief the individual is likely to flee. The court’s decision in Denver, issued by U.S. District Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson, followed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado (ACLU-CO) and other attorneys to protect four asylum-seekers who were arrested earlier this year under President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. The ruling underscores judicial concerns about the potential for racial profiling and disproportionate targeting of immigrant communities without sufficient legal justification.
According to the court’s order, ICE agents are permitted to conduct warrantless arrests only when there is probable cause to believe an individual is in the country illegally and likely to flee. Judge Jackson stated that the plaintiffs—individuals who had established ties to their communities—were not considered a flight risk before obtaining a warrant, which he said is a key requirement for warrantless detention. The ruling highlights the legal challenges facing ICE as it navigates the requirements of federal immigration law, particularly in the context of enforcement actions during the Trump administration.
The decision comes amid broader legal battles over ICE’s use of enforcement tactics, with similar rulings emerging in other jurisdictions. Earlier this year, a federal court in California issued a similar ruling in a case involving the ACLU’s lawsuit against immigration agents for conducting unnecessary warrantless arrests. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has appealed both rulings, arguing that courts are overstepping their authority and that the agency follows all applicable laws. In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin called Jackson’s ruling an