Attorney Says Mother of Newborn Taken by ICE, Infant Left with Relative

By Casey Clowes

An attorney has spoken out after federal immigration agents detained more than a dozen individuals outside a downtown Phoenix courtroom across two days, including the young mother of a two-month-old infant.

The baby was left in the care of a male relative, according to an attorney who witnessed the operation. The arrests, which occurred immediately after immigration hearings, have sparked widespread concern over due process and the use of expedited removal procedures.

Nera Shefer, attorney at Alianza Americas USA, told Newsweek: “Among those detained was a young mother, believed to have a two-month-old infant in a stroller.”

She also says she witnessed a 21-year-old woman taken into custody, whose mother is a lawful permanent resident, and added that at least 10 people were arrested after the court had dropped deportation proceedings.

What Happened At The Phoenix Immigration Court?

Federal agents arrested individuals outside the Phoenix immigration court as they arrived for civil immigration hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Multiple sources told Newsweek that over 10 people were arrested in the enforcement operation on May 20.

During the incident, one attorney described the scene as “mayhem,” noting that individuals who believed their cases had been dismissed were instead taken into custody, according to the Tucson Sentinel.

On the morning of May 21, about a dozen people were handcuffed and taken away in vans after prosecutors requested their cases be dismissed, according to AZ Central. At least three more were arrested during the afternoon session.

Immigration advocates gathered outside the courtroom to protest against President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. Demonstrators were seen shouting outside the immigration court as people were removed and taken into custody.

Footage shows federal police officers blocking protesters from approaching a van.

Shefer, who was present during the events on Tuesday, reported seeing multiple ICE vans and more than a dozen officers stationed in the court’s public lobby. She observed more than 10 individuals being detained immediately following their hearings, specifically after receiving termination orders from immigration judges.

A termination order is a decision by an immigration judge to end removal proceedings against an individual, effectively dismissing the case. This means the person is no longer subject to deportation, though they may still face other immigration actions.

“This approach raises serious concerns about due process and the shifting use of immigration court not as a forum for protection, but as a mechanism for fast-track enforcement,” Shefer said.

Shefer said federal officers appeared to act on real-time information. Officers reportedly checked their phones, called individuals by name, and confirmed whether they had received termination orders before detaining them.

“In my opinion, this level of coordination suggests that DHS trial attorneys were communicating directly with ICE officers in real-time,” she said.

“This reflects a deliberate and coordinated effort between ICE and DHS prosecutors to terminate pending court cases and funnel individuals—many of whom were previously released under their own recognizance—into expedited removal and prolonged detention.

ICE officers reportedly informed Shefer that those being detained were subject to “reprocessing” under new expedited removal procedures.

These rules apply to individuals who have been in the U.S. for less than two years and have not filed for asylum, requiring them to undergo a credible fear interview.

However, even if such individuals pass the interview, they are not eligible for bond and are likely to remain in detention while awaiting further proceedings.

What Have ICE Said?

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and law enforcement partners are arresting individuals who qualify for expedited removals. An immigration judge has reviewed DHS’s motion to dismiss proceedings and agreed that dismissal is appropriate in these cases,” An ICE spokesperson told Newsweek.

“All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if removable by final order, removed from the United States. Those who were arrested are going into ICE custody pending removal from the United States,” the spokesperson added.

Although none of the individuals detained were her clients, Shefer expressed concerns over the use of immigration courts to facilitate fast-track enforcement actions, raising critical questions about due process and the rights of immigrants in removal proceedings.

Expedited removal is a process that allows authorities to remove certain undocumented immigrants from the country without a formal hearing before an immigration judge.

It is intended to streamline the removal of individuals who are deemed inadmissible under specific grounds, primarily for lacking proper documentation or for using fraudulent means to enter the country.

Arizona Senate Democratic Assistant Leader Catherine Miranda said in a statement that ICE enforcement operations are “reprehensible.”

“From the beginning, the Trump Administration has stated that they are going after ‘hardened criminals.’ However, ICE’s actions in Seattle, Santa Ana, and now Phoenix show otherwise. Agents showing up to detain people after their hearings is not only unprecedented, but also absolutely reprehensible.”

Alex Alvarez, executive director for Progress Arizona, also criticized the operation: “Due Process is a very basic idea: if the government wants to infringe on your liberty, they better have a damn good reason, and they have to prove their case.”

ICE told Newsweek on May 21 that it does not comment on current or future operations for security reasons but shares information when “appropriate.”