Arrests of migrants near courthouses are increasing nationwide as Homeland Security officials intensify efforts to fulfill the Trump administration's deportation goals.
Immigration agents are increasingly positioning themselves outside courthouses, waiting for migrants to arrive for routine legal appointments in order to detain them after proceedings are dismissed to speed up their removal.
Residents of El Paso have reported such cases, including the recent arrest of Yasmir Marquez, as first reported by El Paso Matters.
According to the outlet, Marquez traveled to El Paso with a friend to attend a scheduled immigration hearing. He had been authorized to remain in the United States while awaiting an asylum hearing and had also received work authorization. However, shortly after leaving the courthouse, a group of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained him.
"They called him by the wrong name just now," his friend told the outlet. "(Marquez) told them that isn't his name, and they took him anyway."
ICE agents arrested Marquez on May 29 after presenting him with a document stating his legal status had changed.
"Circumstances of the case have changed after the notice to appear was issued to such an extent that continuation is no longer in the best interest of the government. The notice to appear was improvidently issued," the document read, according to a photo taken by Marquez's friend.
The photo, shared with El Paso Matters, shows a Department of Justice document issued by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, indicating that removal proceedings against Marquez were initiated by DHS on May 29 — the same day as his hearing.
"All this is to accelerate detentions and expedite removals," said immigration attorney Wilfredo Allen, who has represented migrants at Miami courts for decades.
Marquez is currently being held at the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, New Mexico, records show.
The Trump administration is ramping up deportations using a strategy known as expedited removal, which allows immigration agents to quickly deport migrants if their cases meet specific criteria. The process bypasses standard immigration court proceedings, which can take years due to a backlog of millions of pending cases.
Expedited removal was originally limited to migrants apprehended within 100 miles of the U.S. border. However, the Trump administration recently expanded its use to include migrants who have been in the country for fewer than two years.
In addition, undocumented migrants who no longer have a case pending in immigration court may also be subject to expedited removal. According to an internal memo obtained by The New York Times, ICE is encouraging prosecutors to identify and dismiss cases that could clear the way for faster deportations.
Following the memo's release, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) issued a statement on May 21 accusing the Trump administration of undermining fairness and due process.
"Immigration courts are being weaponized," the group said. "Judges are coordinating with ICE to dismiss cases and immediately funnel individuals into the fast-track deportation pipeline known as expedited removal."
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