In a letter to the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday, 68 retired state and federal judges implored the agency “to restore confidence in safe access to the courts” by barring immigration enforcement arrests at courthouses.

“The public must be able to access courthouses safely and without fear of retribution.”
—judges’ letter

“For courts to effectively do justice, ensure public safety, and serve their communities, the public must be able to access courthouses safely and without fear of retribution. For many, however, ICE’s courthouse arrests have made courts places to avoid,” declares the letter, organized with assistance from the Brennan Center for Justice.

The letter says a January directive (pdf) from ICE, which instructed authorities to only target certain undocumented people—”aliens with criminal convictions, gang members, national security or public safety threats, aliens who have been ordered removed from the United States but have failed to depart, and aliens who have re-entered the country illegally after being removed”—in court and refrain from arresting family members or witnesses, was a step in the right direction.

However, it charges, “interrupting criminal proceedings with civil immigration arrests undermines the justice system.” Thus, the judges are calling on ICE acting director Ronald Vitiello to extend the “sensitive location” designation—which applies to schools, hospitals, places of worship, and public demonstrations—to local, state, and federal courthouses.