Judge Slams 'Unlawful' ICE Detention, Orders Release Of NY SIJ Teen — Facility Delays Freedom Overnight

A federal judge ordered ICE to immediately release an 18-year-old New Yorker with Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status and deferred action, calling his nearly three-month detention in Louisiana unlawful. Despite the order, local jail staff and ICE officials said they hadn’t received it, keeping him overnight before releasing him the next morning. The case highlights mounting judicial pushback against ICE detaining SIJ beneficiaries amid a post-June 2025 policy shift and adds to a growing tally of court-ordered releases.