CAL.Litigation
California sues ICE to end civil immigration arrests at state courthouses
California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on October 15, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to stop civil immigration arrests at state courthouses. The suit, which Bonta's office called the state's 100th against the administration, says arrests continued after a federal court vacated ICE's courthouse enforcement directive in June 2026, deterring victims, witnesses and defendants from appearing in court.
Filing (California Department of Justice) → · Bloomberg Law
Key points
- State of California v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, No. 2:26-cv-12026, was filed October 15, 2026, in the Central District of California.California Department of JusticeBloomberg Law
- California says average monthly ICE arrests at and around its courthouses rose more than 550% in the year after the 2025 policy change.California Department of Justice
- The directive was vacated in late June 2026 in Pablo Sequen v. Albarran, but the state says courthouse enforcement continued.California Department of JusticeBloomberg Law
- The lawsuit counts 60 civil immigration arrests at California superior courts despite the vacatur, Bloomberg Law reported.Bloomberg Law
- Claims include arbitrary-and-capricious action and excess of statutory authority under the APA, citing the common-law privilege against courthouse civil arrests, and Tenth Amendment interference.California Department of Justice
- A White House spokesperson said the administration's policies have been consistently upheld, citing more than 25 Supreme Court victories.Bloomberg Law
Sources2 articles across 2 outlets
Bloomberg Law
California Department of Justice