PRESS RELEASE: House Democrats Respond to ICE Arrests Outside Phoenix Immigration Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

May 21, 2025

PHOENIX – Arizona House Democratic Leadership released the following statement regarding ICE sending armed masked agents to a Phoenix immigration court to detain families attending hearings.  

“Trump’s cruel mass deportation machine is showing up in our community again," said Caucus Whip Quantá Crews. "What is happening outside the Phoenix Immigration Court is horrifying. Agents waited in the shadows. They targeted mothers and fathers who were following the law. People showed up for their hearings in good faith and were taken into custody when they walked out. Some were arrested in front of their children. There was no warning. No legal counsel. Just arrests and a bus waiting to take them away.

This is not immigration enforcement. This is government-sponsored trauma. It is fear-based governance that tears families apart and silences entire communities. These actions go against the principles of due process, human dignity, and democracy.

To everyone who is navigating the immigration system, please do not go to court alone. Bring an attorney if you can. If not, bring a trusted friend, a faith leader, or a family member who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. We need witnesses. We need documentation. We need each other.

Stay safe. Stay connected. Stay prepared. We will not be silent in the face of injustice. We will keep fighting with compassion and the power of community.”

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