CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A chilling incident at the Albemarle County Courthouse has ignited alarm, prompting The Rutherford Institute to urge the Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle County Board of Supervisors to take immediate steps to safeguard constitutional rights and ensure transparent, accountable law enforcement.

Reports indicate that on April 22, 2025, plainclothes federal agents—one masked by a balaclava—detained two men on courthouse grounds, allegedly without clear identification or presentation of warrants to the individuals themselves. It was later revealed that the three agents, who identified themselves to a bailiff, were acting on orders from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

“The sight of masked federal agents snatching individuals without clear identification evokes the specter of a public abduction. This isn’t some distant threat; it’s happening here, in our community, in our courthouses, and it demands a resolute response from our local leaders,” said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. “By taking decisive action, our local leaders can send a powerful message that justice and due process are non-negotiable values in our community.”

Eyewitness accounts paint a disturbing picture of the April 22, 2025, incident, when three plainclothes officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reportedly approached and detained two men on the grounds of the Albemarle County Courthouse as part of a nationwide roundup and mass deportation of immigrants, both documented and undocumented, driven in large part by Trump Administration policies.  Compounding these concerns, reports suggest the agents failed to clearly identify themselves or present arrest warrants to the individuals apprehended. The courthouse raid has been likened to a public kidnapping, raising urgent concerns about threats to public safety and the need for local officials to safeguard constitutional rights, ensure transparency in enforcement actions, and educate residents about their legal protections. The reported intention of ICE to prosecute concerned bystanders further amplifies the chilling effect on community members seeking transparency and accountability.

The Rutherford Institute’s letter to local leaders stresses that courthouses must remain safe havens where justice is accessible to all, regardless of citizenship status. The increasing use of masked, unidentified federal agents undermines this crucial principle, blurring the lines between legitimate authority and potentially abusive actions.

To safeguard the community’s constitutional rights and the integrity of the justice system, The Rutherford Institute is urging local officials to: 1) Affirm Courthouse Sanctuary: Clearly establish that courthouses are spaces where all individuals, including witnesses and those involved in civil proceedings, can seek justice without fear of immigration enforcement; 2) Demand Identification and Warrants: Implement clear protocols calling on federal agents to provide unequivocal identification and present any warrants when conducting enforcement actions within the community; and 3) Educate and Empower Residents: Launch a proactive community education campaign to ensure all individuals understand their constitutional rights when interacting with immigration officials.

Letter to the Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle County Board of Supervisors

Article posted with permission from John Whitehead