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Eyewitness accounts paint a disturbing picture of the April 22, 2025, incident, when three plainclothes officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reportedly approached and detained two men on the grounds of the Albemarle County Courthouse as part of a nationwide roundup and mass deportation of immigrants, both documented and undocumented, driven in large part by Trump Administration policies. Compounding these concerns, reports suggest the agents failed to clearly identify themselves or present arrest warrants to the individuals apprehended. The courthouse raid has been likened to a public kidnapping, raising urgent concerns about threats to public safety and the need for local officials to safeguard constitutional rights, ensure transparency in enforcement actions, and educate residents about their legal protections. The reported intention of ICE to prosecute concerned bystanders further amplifies the chilling effect on community members seeking transparency and accountability.
The Rutherford Institute’s letter to local leaders stresses that courthouses must remain safe havens where justice is accessible to all, regardless of citizenship status. The increasing use of masked, unidentified federal agents undermines this crucial principle, blurring the lines between legitimate authority and potentially abusive actions.
To safeguard the community’s constitutional rights and the integrity of the justice system, The Rutherford Institute is urging local officials to: 1) Affirm Courthouse Sanctuary: Clearly establish that courthouses are spaces where all individuals, including witnesses and those involved in civil proceedings, can seek justice without fear of immigration enforcement; 2) Demand Identification and Warrants: Implement clear protocols calling on federal agents to provide unequivocal identification and present any warrants when conducting enforcement actions within the community; and 3) Educate and Empower Residents: Launch a proactive community education campaign to ensure all individuals understand their constitutional rights when interacting with immigration officials.
The Rutherford Institute’s letter to the Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle County Board of Supervisors is available at www.rutherford.org.
The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties organization, defends individuals whose constitutional rights have been threatened or violated and educates the public on a wide spectrum of issues affecting their freedoms.
This press release is also available at www.rutherford.org.
Source: https://tinyurl.com/2ry4kf35
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