Federal agents arrested 21-year-old Vinely Alexander Castillo-Norales at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on Tuesday, directly contradicting a federal judge's order from the day before that barred such courthouse detentions. His attorneys called it a clear violation of Judge P. Kevin Castel's 15-page ruling, which limited ICE arrests to narrow exceptions like national security threats. The arrest came hours after the judge had officially blocked the practice.

Mr. Castillo-Norales was released Tuesday evening, but DHS simultaneously claimed he belonged to the Bloods street gang and faced charges for burglary, robbery, and larceny. His lawyers maintained he had never been convicted of a crime. Court watchers reported ICE agents refused to accept a copy of the judge's order before the arrest, with one agent saying the agency didn't care.

The dispute traces to an unusual government admission in March that ICE had mistakenly relied on a 2025 memo when arguing it could detain noncitizens in immigration court. That admission led Judge Castel to block the arrests, a practice the administration had defended as a practical safety measure. Business leaders relying on immigration courts for labor compliance will find the chaos unsettling.