New York, NY, October 4, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed alarm over continued escalation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York courthouses. A newly released report by the Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) cites a nearly 900% increase of ICE arrests and attempted arrests in New York courthouses. The report cites 110 compared to 11 reports in all of 2016.  A majority of the reported arrests have been made in New York City of both documented and undocumented immigrants according to the report. Enforcement is taking place at a range of courts including family court, traffic court and criminal court.

ADL has previously expressed deep concern about increased ICE enforcement in courthouses, has testified before the NYC council on the issue, and has supported the call to end this practice by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

“Such a drastic increase of ICE enforcement in New York State courthouses only exacerbates the fears of immigrant communities to engage with the justice system at a time where there are increased concerns about harassment and hate motivated violence, especially for many immigrant communities.” said New York Regional Director Evan R. Bernstein in a statement. “We have said it, and will continue to say that courthouses should be treated as sensitive locations, and we continue to work with coalition partners, to urge our leaders to help end this practice which threatens public safety and access to justice for all” he continued.

The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.  Today it is the world’s leading organization combating anti-Semitism, exposing hate groups, training law enforcement on hate crimes, developing anti-bias curricula for students, countering cyber-hate and relentlessly pursuing equal rights for all. 

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