Judge Howell Upholds Ban on ICE Warrantless Arrests in D.C.

U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell upheld a ruling on May 8 prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from arresting undocumented immigrants in Washington, D.C. without a warrant. Howell's 45-page opinion rejected a memo from former ICE Director Todd Lyons, finding its definition of "escape risk" fundamentally flawed because it failed to require officers to assess a person's community connections before deeming them a flight risk.

The ruling continues a preliminary injunction first issued in December 2025, stemming from a lawsuit filed by four noncitizens and the nonprofit CASA. The lawsuit challenged warrantless arrests that followed President Donald Trump's declaration of a "crime emergency" in D.C. in August 2025, which triggered immigration sweeps across the city.

The Department of Homeland Security defended ICE's authority, asserting that "ICE has authority for lawful arrests" and that "the Supreme Court has already vindicated us on these practices." Immigrant advocates celebrated the decision. CASA's Shana Khader condemned what she called "rampant, unlawful warrantless arrests" that "terrorized our communities."

The case underscores the ongoing legal conflict between the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies and judicial oversight of constitutional protections for noncitizens in the nation's capital.