Ohio immigrant advocates say the Trump administration is targeting political enemies after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Franklin County Municipal Court.
The DOJ wants a federal court to order Franklin County to remove a new rule, prohibiting federal officials from detaining people at the courthouse without a warrant. The lawsuit said Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested about 12 people at the court in recent years before the rule was put in place.
The lawsuit was met with criticism from Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and other city officials Tuesday.
Ohio Immigrant Alliance Executive Director Lynn Tramonte told WOSU on Wednesday that policies like this weren't needed before the second Trump administration. She said common sense under President Donald Trump has been thrown out the window, forcing places like the Franklin County Municipal Court to put measures in place.
"ICE and the Trump administration have said that the only thing that matters is enforcing a paperwork violation. And state and local governments are saying that's not true. We have important business too," Tramonte said.
Tramonte argued that without rules like this, immigrants may fear showing up to court for routine proceedings like traffic court, divorce cases or even as key witnesses for criminal trials. She said the lawsuit is the latest in a trend of rising anti-immigrant policies as ICE begins to target Haitian refugees and other immigrants around Ohio.
"In the mornings, ICE agents go to McDonald's and gas stations hunting for people. We're definitely feeling the effects of the huge budget that Congress has given ICE," Tramonte said.
Tramonte said she doesn't think the timing of the lawsuit is intentionally coinciding with the arrest of Haitian refugees in Ohio following the end of Temporary Protected Status, but rather the wider immigration crackdown under Trump.
"I think it's been a constant rise of anti-immigrant policies, lawsuits, tactics, attacks and we've seen it since the 2024 campaign," Tramonte said.
The DOJ's main argument is that the federal government's authority supersedes that of a local government like Franklin County.
Tramonte said Ohioans don't want the DOJ coming in and telling local communities how to operate.
WOSU requested an interview with the DOJ, but have not received a response.
