Immigration attorneys in Colorado are accusing ICE agents of openly defying a federal judge’s court order by continuing to carry out warrantless arrests without legally required checks—sparking fear and chaos in immigrant communities across the state.
ICE Accused of Ignoring Federal Court Order
Despite a federal preliminary injunction issued on November 25, 2025, by U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson, immigration lawyers say Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are still arresting people without first evaluating whether they are a flight risk—a key condition of the court order.
The judge’s order requires ICE to document specific reasons for believing someone is a flight risk before arresting them without a warrant. But lawyers say the agency is violating that order repeatedly.
“ICE is going to continue to violate the court order, and try to cook the books… rather than just following the law,” said Denver immigration attorney Hans Meyer, speaking to The Denver Post.
At Least 58 Alleged Violations Since the Injunction
In an amended complaint filed on February 2, civil rights groups including the ACLU of Colorado, East Colfax Community Collective, and several law firms claim to have uncovered at least 58 instances of warrantless arrests between November 25 and December 31, 2025.
None of those arrests allegedly met the court’s requirements for documenting flight risk, the complaint says.
Community Members Taken from Cars, Streets, and Check-Ins
The complaint paints a disturbing picture of arrests happening during:
- Routine traffic stops
- Walks through neighborhoods
- Visits to workplaces
- Even scheduled ICE check-ins
Those arrested reportedly include asylum seekers, people with no criminal records, and family breadwinners. One example cited in the complaint involves a Colorado Springs father, a legal U.S. resident of 11 years, who was picked up outside a nightclub while waiting to drive a friend home. ICE allegedly held him for over six weeks without a proper flight risk evaluation or a bond hearing.
“He now feels nervous leaving his home and fears going to public places,” the complaint states. “He constantly worries about being separated from his American-born son.”
Legal Experts: Community ‘Terrorized’ by ICE Tactics
Lawyers say ICE’s actions are fueling fear across Colorado’s immigrant communities and eroding trust in local law enforcement.
“ICE’s illegal practices have terrorized the community and sowed distrust in police,” the complaint says.
They also claim the agency is operating with blatant disregard for both federal law and judicial oversight, with agents “flipping the bird” at the judge’s directive, in Meyer’s words.
A Surge in Arrests and a Bigger ICE Presence Ahead
According to the complaint, ICE arrests in Colorado have spiked nearly 300% compared to the same period in 2024. And with President Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill” allocating $170 billion to immigration enforcement, including $45 billion for new ICE detention facilities, advocates fear the situation will only worsen.
The lawsuit argues that ICE is trying to meet aggressive enforcement quotas set by the current administration and is doing so without following the law.
“This lawsuit seeks to enjoin Defendants’ ongoing pattern and practice of flouting federal law in connection with their mass immigration arrests in Colorado,” the complaint concludes.
