Volunteers Kicked Out of San Diego Immigration Court Building

Immigration court observers detained, cited, and removed from federal facility despite months of prior access

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Volunteer immigration court observers were kicked out of San Diego's federal building on Thursday and Friday, with some being detained and issued citations for "failure to comply with official signs." The volunteers, who have been allowed inside the building for months to accompany and support immigrants going through the legal process, were told they could not "stand here unless you have business." Federal officials cited regulations against "obstructing access in federal buildings," but the volunteers say they were not obstructing anything and plan to contest the citations.

Why it matters

The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the government and advocates over access and transparency in the immigration court system, especially as the Trump administration carries out its mass deportation policies. The volunteers provide important support and documentation of the proceedings, and their removal raises concerns about limiting public oversight of the immigration enforcement process.

The details

On Thursday and Friday, federal officers approached the volunteer observers inside the San Diego federal building, which houses immigration court and an ICE field office, and told them they had to leave. The volunteers, who have been allowed inside the building for months to accompany and pray with immigrants going through hearings, were cited for "failure to comply with official signs" prohibiting "loitering." The volunteers say they were not obstructing anything and plan to contest the $280 citations. A federal spokesperson said the regulations are "not new" and that "obstructing access in federal buildings is a crime."

  • On Thursday morning, the volunteers were first approached and told to leave the federal building.
  • On Thursday, four volunteers were detained and issued citations for "failure to comply with official signs."
  • On Friday morning, volunteers arriving at the federal building were again told to leave.

The players

Patrick Corrigan

A volunteer immigration court observer.

Robert Kovelman

A volunteer immigration court observer.

Fr. Hung Nguyen

Associate pastor at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, which runs the volunteer program called FAITH: Faithful Accompaniment In Trust and Hope.

Terra Lawson-Remer

Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, who was recently denied access to the Otay Mesa Detention Center.

Ian Seruelo

An immigration attorney who was detained and cited along with two volunteers.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“You can't stand here unless you have business. And I said, 'I'm not trying to be wise, but what is business? Clarify – because, you know, we're here to accompany and pray, it's not loitering.' He said, 'No, you need to leave.'”

— Patrick Corrigan, Volunteer (nbcsandiego.com)

“It's completely ridiculous, right? This is a federal building, it's open to the people who show the right form of ID, which we did to enter the building, and we've been doing this for many months, and nobody can provide any information on what's changed.”

— Robert Kovelman, Volunteer (nbcsandiego.com)

“If anything, I would argue that our presence in the building actually creates a sense of calm and peace for those who are inside the building. There's nowhere on the new regulations saying we can't pray for people.”

— Fr. Hung Nguyen, Associate Pastor (nbcsandiego.com)

“Government needs to operate in sunlight. Power needs to operate under sunlight. When you try to hide what's going on to people in court, in detention, and you make it invisible, you make it impossible for us to know what's happening, you undermine accountability. It's undermining rule of law and it's putting people in danger.”

— Terra Lawson-Remer, County Board of Supervisors Chair (nbcsandiego.com)

“As a Marine Corps officer, we were taught from day one and emphasized that we have a moral duty to do what is right, and if there's anything unlawful, we are called to disobey. Rights, the Constitution, it all matters. We took an oath to defend that, and I would remind those people there that their oath belongs to the Constitution, not to an individual.”

— Jonathan Liu, Volunteer (nbcsandiego.com)

What’s next

All seven people detained and cited said they planned to fight the tickets, which would take place in district court, during a hearing with a federal judge. Seruelo said he was also considering filing a lawsuit to settle the dispute over regulations governing who and what is allowed inside the building.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the government and advocates over access and transparency in the immigration court system, especially as the Trump administration carries out its mass deportation policies. The removal of these volunteer observers raises serious concerns about limiting public oversight of the immigration enforcement process and undermining the rule of law.