Witnesses report plainclothes ICE agents making arrests at Dallas immigration court

ICE waits for immigrants at Dallas court

An immigration lawyer says she personally witnessed ICE agents, wearing street clothes, detain at least three people in the hallway outside an immigration courtroom in Dallas on Thursday.

DALLAS - An immigration lawyer says she personally witnessed ICE agents, wearing street clothes, detain at least three people in the hallway outside an immigration courtroom in Dallas on Thursday.

This means Dallas now joins an expanding list of U.S. cities where federal agents are arresting migrants as they show up for their hearings.

 ICE at immigration courts

Numerous immigration rights advocates describe the latest tactic being used by the federal government as a trap: appearing at immigration hearings to nab migrants who are in the country illegally.

Earlier this week, in Phoenix, Arizona, protesters gathered outside an immigration court as ICE agents in that city effectuated similar enforcement operations over the course of two days, according to our sister station, KSAZ.

One attorney told our affiliate that his Venezuelan client had just appeared before a judge; his case was terminated, and with an appeal in hand, he was captured.

Legal analysts say, even though courts can be deemed "sensitive places" like schools, hospitals and churches, they're not totally off-limits.

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What they're saying:

Sushma Modi, with Modi Law Firm, is a former law professor, and now an immigration lawyer in North Texas. He's not the one who witnessed the ICE operation inside the Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas this week, but he’s expressing concern over how this is playing out.

"These are individuals trying to do it the right way," said immigration attorney Modi. "Go to their court hearings, apply for any relief they have. And now, instead of being able to go through their court hearings, they’re getting removed."

"There are constitutional rights, like the right to due process," Modi went on. "It’s a way for the federal government to quickly deport somebody without a court hearing. What’s unprecedented about this, they had the court hearing, and then those cases are trying to be dismissed."

"Expedited removal was only used, historically, close to the border," Modi said. "It’s only been recently expanded by the Trump administration."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a statement to FOX 4, which reads, in part:

"ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been."

It goes on to add:

"Those with valid credible fear claims, will continue in immigration proceedings."

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What's next:

Similar enforcement operations at immigration courts have been reported in Miami, New York and Seattle. Legal scholars believe it will eventually be challenged in court.