ICE Targets Immigrants Outside SoCal Courthouse, Igniting Alarm Over Due Process Violations

Federal immigration agents swooped into the Rancho Cucamonga courthouse parking lot Thursday morning, arresting three men as they exited the building. Witnesses described masked ICE officers surrounding individuals, handcuffing them, and loading them into SUVs in a chilling display of enforcement outside the walls where justice is supposed to be served.

This is not an isolated incident. Lizbeth Abeln, executive director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, says at least 33 people have been detained near this courthouse since last October. “We see this as a violation of their due process,” Abeln told reporters. “People don’t get the chance to finish their court cases. It’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but ICE is cutting that off.”

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrests involved two Colombian nationals and one Mexican man. Among them, Godofredo Chiquete Lopez faces felony assault charges but has pleaded not guilty. Another, Alexander Pacheco Sabogal, was ordered removed after missing a hearing, though no local criminal charges have been filed against him. Cesar Andres Mendez Garzon, who also missed a hearing, was likewise taken into custody without any San Bernardino County charges.

California law prohibits civil immigration arrests inside courthouses, but ICE operates around the edges, exploiting loopholes that place vulnerable people at risk. In January 2025, ICE issued guidance allowing courthouse-area arrests if agents have “credible information” about a target’s presence. Critics argue this policy effectively turns courthouses into hunting grounds, deterring immigrants—and even citizens—from accessing the justice system.

State Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes has proposed legislation requiring federal officers to obtain a judicial warrant before making civil arrests near courthouses. Advocates say this is urgently needed to protect due process and public safety.

“The presence of ICE outside courthouses puts entire families at risk,” Abeln warned. “Even if they target one individual, their family members—often undocumented—face ongoing danger.”

California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero echoed these concerns, stating that immigration arrests at courthouses create a “chilling effect” that undermines justice by discouraging witnesses and victims from coming forward.

As ICE doubles down on courthouse-area enforcement, the message to immigrant communities is clear: pursuing your legal rights may come with the threat of sudden detention. This erosion of due process and community trust demands immediate accountability and legislative action before more lives and liberties are damaged.