ICE Arrests at Courthouses, 17,200 Deported in April; New Self-Deportation Program Offers $1,000 Bonus

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a series of nationwide arrests targeting undocumented immigrants, with a new focus on detaining individuals at or near immigration courthouses. Over Memorial Day weekend, ICE made several arrests across the country, including at least four people at a San Francisco courthouse who were detained and transported in Department of Homeland Security vehicles. Similar operations have been reported in Concord, Dallas, Boston, Miami, and Massachusetts, where ICE agents have also detained individuals at immigration courts in Weymouth and Hyannis.

ICE agents, often in plainclothes, have been observed waiting outside or inside immigration courts to detain individuals immediately after their hearings, including asylum seekers and those whose cases have just been closed or dismissed. According to immigration attorneys, this practice departs from previous norms, where individuals with pending cases were generally not apprehended at courthouses. Advocates have warned that these actions could discourage immigrants from attending court hearings and impact due process.

In Baltimore, five individuals were arrested outside a Home Depot on May 20 following a public tip, an event ICE publicized through social media videos. ICE has encouraged the public to report suspected undocumented immigrants via its tip line, 866-DHS-2-ICE, and has posted videos of arrests online. Operation 'Remember the Fallen' led to 29 DUI arrests over Memorial Day weekend.

The Trump administration has expanded the use of expedited removal, allowing ICE to deport individuals who have been in the U.S. for less than two years without a judge's order. In April 2025, ICE deported more than 17,200 people, a 29% increase from April 2024. The administration has also introduced a voluntary self-deportation program using the CBP Home app, offering a $1,000 bonus and travel assistance to migrants who opt to leave the country.