Federal Judge Limits U.S. Marshals’ Role in Immigration Enforcement

A federal judge determined that U.S. Marshals lack the authority and training to arrest or detain individuals for civil immigration violations in Washington, D.C.’s local courts. This decision affects the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement approach.

Case Overview

The case focuses on a man known as N.S., detained by U.S. Marshals in January 2020 following a court order for his release. Marshals held him due to an ICE detainer until immigration officers took over. Later, this case expanded into a class action challenging the Marshals’ practice of detaining individuals for civil immigration issues.

In 2021, a federal court barred this practice. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated the injunction after a Supreme Court decision limited classwide injunctions in some immigration cases. The appeals court confirmed Marshals lacked authority to arrest N.S. due to missing required training.

Judicial Findings

Judge Royce Lamberth emphasized that the January 2025 order by then-acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin C. Huffman did not legally authorize U.S. Marshals for civil immigration arrests. He stated the Department of Homeland Security cannot expand Marshals’ authority without going through the formal notice-and-comment rulemaking process.

Judge Lamberth ruled that Marshals had not received substantial training in immigration enforcement. The government’s claim of Marshals receiving virtual instruction from ICE attorneys was insufficient. The training did not match the immigration law enforcement courses required by federal regulations.

Judicial Decision and Implications

The judge denied the government’s request to dismiss the case and issued a judgment that U.S. Marshals lack proper authority and training for detaining or arresting criminal defendants for civil immigration violations in the D.C. Court.

Background on Federal Immigration Efforts

The Trump administration engaged various federal agencies, including the FBI and DEA, to support ICE in large-scale immigration arrests. ICE reported about 1,474 daily arrests in early July, up from over 1,300 in June, with detention numbers reaching high levels.

Concerns around federal agents’ training and use of force persist, especially after instances of deadly immigration enforcement actions, drawing attention to training standards and accountability in such operations.