When Paying a Traffic Ticket Can End in Deportation

In towns and villages, local courts are often located in or near municipal buildings, where other services are offered.

“This isn’t just about going to court. No one is going to go get a municipal I.D. or go to a community meeting with the mayor if they think ICE might be around that building,” said Ignacio Acevedo, a community organizer in Middletown with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, an advocacy organization.

The restrictions on ICE arrests have been criticized by court officers, who say the rules put them in a difficult position.