WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge said Thursday that instructions received by immigration enforcement officers to make civil immigrant arrests without warrants do not meet probable cause standards and should not used as guidance.

In continuing a preliminary injunction she issued in December, U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell in Washington, D.C., said that “when conducting civil immigration arrests without a warrant in this District, defendants shall not rely on the probable cause standard or analytical approach set forth in the five-page memorandum” from the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

kAmp>@?8 E96 :DDF6D[ E96 ;F586 HC@E6 E92E E96 :?DECF4E:@?D 72:=65 E@ :?DECF4E @77:46CD E@ 2DD6DD 2 A6CD@?VD 4@??64E:@?D E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ 367@C6 4@?4=F5:?8 E92E A6CD@? 😀 2 7=:89E C:D< 2?5 E96C67@C6 ?665D E@ 36 E2<6? :?E@ 4FDE@5J :>>65:2E6=J]k^Am

kAm%96 24E:@? 😀 E96 =2E6DE DE6A 😕 2 =2HDF:E 7:=65 3J 7@FC ?@?4:E:K6?D 2?5 E96 ?@?AC@7:E @C82?:K2E:@? rp$p 😕 (2D9:?8E@? 😕 a_ad 492==6?8:?8 E96:C 2CC6DED 5FC:?8 :>>:8C2E:@? DH66AD 3J E96 7656C2= 286?4J[ H9:49 H6C6 A2CE @7 2 =2H\6?7@C46>6?E DFC86 @C56C65 3J !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A]k^Am

kAmw@H6== 2AAC@G65 2?@E96C C6BF6DE 3J E96 A=2:?E:77D D66<:?8 >@C6 C64@C5D E@ 96=A 6IA=2:? 9@H E96 A@=:4J H:== 36 :>A=6>6?E65[ 3FE D96 C6;64E65 D@>6 @7 E96:C 2C8F>6?ED 2?5 D2:5 E96 8@G6C?>6?E 925 2596C65 E@ 96C AC6=:>:?2CJ :?;F?4E:@? @C56C @? D@>6 :DDF6D]k^Am

kAm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^FD\56A2CE>6?E\@7\9@>6=2?5\D64FC:EJQms6A2CE>6?E @7 w@>6=2?5 $64FC:EJk^2m C6DA@?565 E@ BF6DE:@?D 23@FE %9FCD52JVD @C56C 😕 2? 6>2:= D2J:?8[ “xrt 92D 2FE9@C:EJ 7@C =2H7F= 2CC6DED]Qk^Am

kAm“{2H 6?7@C46>6?E @77:46CD FD6 ‘C62D@?23=6 DFDA:4:@?’ E@ :?G6DE:82E6 :>>:8C2E:@? DE2EFD 2?5 AC@323=6 42FD6 E@ >2<6 2CC6DED 4@?D:DE6?E H:E9 E96 u@FCE9 p>6?5>6?E E@ E96 &]$] r@?DE:EFE:@?[Q E96 sw$ 6>2:= D2:5] ”%96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE 92D 2=C625J G:?5:42E65 FD @? E96D6 AC24E:46D]”k^Am

kAm“(6 8@E H92E H6 H6C6 2D<:?8 7@C 6DD6?E:2==J[” D2:5 |256=6:?6 v2E6D[ 2DD@4:2E6 4@F?D6= 2E E96 (2D9:?8E@? {2HJ6CD’ r@>>:EE66 7@C r:G:= #:89ED 2?5 &C32? p772:CD] %96 CF=:?8 QC6277:C>D E92E 7656C2= 286?ED 92G6 E@ 4@>A=J H:E9 E96 =2H] %96J 5@ ?@E 86E 2 A2DD 😕 5@:?8 :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E]”k^Am

kAm“%9:D A2CE:4F=2C 42D6 😀 2== 23@FE H92E 92AA6?D 2E E96 @FED6E[ 367@C6 E96 2CC6DE 😀 >256[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAm%9:D G6CD:@? 4@CC64ED 2? 62C=:6C G6CD:@? E92E DA6==65 |256=6:?6 v2E6D :?4@CC64E=J]k^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.