ICE Agents Arrest Immigrants at Utah Courthouse with Help from Bailiffs

Defense attorneys say the arrests are likely to scare defendants, witnesses and victims out of cooperating with authorities.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Immigration officers arrested multiple people in Salt Lake City courtrooms this week with assistance from bailiffs, according to defense attorneys. The attorneys say the arrests are part of President Donald Trump's intensifying immigration crackdown and are likely to scare defendants, witnesses and victims out of cooperating with authorities. The Utah courts have said they cannot prevent ICE from conducting lawful enforcement in or around courthouses, but defense lawyers argue the courts could put limits on the use of holding cells and interior protected spaces.

Why it matters

The arrests at the courthouse are seen as undermining the criminal justice system, as victims and witnesses may be less likely to cooperate with authorities out of fear of being detained. This could make it harder for prosecutors to build cases and pursue charges, potentially leading to more dismissals.

The details

According to the defense attorneys, ICE agents have been arresting people at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City this week, with the assistance of court bailiffs. The bailiffs have been applying handcuffs on behalf of ICE and escorting the agents and detainees through secure parts of the building. In one case, a defense attorney said her client was pulled into a holding cell and then taken away in an elevator after a judge had dismissed the charges against him.

  • On Monday and Tuesday this week, the arrests took place at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
  • In February 2025, the Utah Supreme Court issued a memo stating that courts cannot prevent ICE from conducting lawful enforcement in or around courthouses.

The players

Lacey Singleton

A lawyer with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association who witnessed one of the arrests at the courthouse.

Shannon Woulfe

A defense attorney with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association who had a client arrested by ICE agents at the courthouse.

Chris Bronson

A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, which provides security at the courthouse.

Matthew Durrant

The Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, who issued a 2025 memo on the courts' limited ability to prevent ICE arrests at courthouses.

Tania Mashburn

The director of communications for the Utah state courts.

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What they’re saying

“These people are showing up voluntarily, to do the responsible thing, to show up for their court hearing. And instead, they're getting, like, kidnapped, out of nowhere.”

— Lacey Singleton, Lawyer, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“It's doing a disservice to the entire community and the justice system in particular.”

— Lacey Singleton, Lawyer, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“We're just part of the court process. We're not using county resources in ICE enforcement.”

— Chris Bronson, Spokesperson, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office (utahnewsdispatch.com)

What’s next

The Utah courts have said they cannot prevent ICE from conducting lawful enforcement in or around courthouses, but defense lawyers argue the courts could put limits on the use of holding cells and interior protected spaces for immigration arrests.

The takeaway

The arrests at the Utah courthouse highlight the ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and the criminal justice system, as defense attorneys argue the arrests undermine the ability of victims and witnesses to cooperate with authorities without fear of detention.