A US federal judge has halted the government’s ability to carry out warrantless immigration arrests, ruling that the practice violates constitutional protections and exceeds the authority granted to federal immigration officers.
The decision came in a case brought by civil‑rights advocates who argued that immigration agents were detaining individuals without judicial oversight, often based solely on administrative warrants issued within the Department of Homeland Security. The court found that such arrests lacked the probable‑cause standard required under the Fourth Amendment.
In the ruling, the judge emphasized that immigration enforcement “does not override constitutional safeguards,” noting that warrantless detentions had been used in homes, workplaces and public spaces without sufficient legal justification. The injunction restricts federal agents from conducting arrests unless they obtain a judicial warrant or meet clearly defined emergency exceptions.
Immigration rights groups welcomed the decision as a significant check on federal power, while government attorneys argued that the ruling could hinder enforcement operations and complicate efforts to locate individuals with outstanding removal orders.
The case is expected to move to the appellate courts, where the government is likely to seek a stay of the injunction. Legal analysts say the outcome could shape the limits of federal immigration authority nationwide.
