Correction: Morgan from NorCal Resist later gave her last name: Murphy. We also misreported that Murphy said an agent told her 'don't speak to the [immigrant], he doesn't speak any English.' In fact, she said an agent told her 'don't speak to [another agent], he doesn't speak any English.'
The federal immigration court on Capitol Mall was on all but total lockdown Thursday after suspected Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen in the building.
At approximately 11:10 am two men who appeared to be agents dressed in plain clothes pulled up neck gaiters to cover their faces and ran down the hallway towards a man exiting immigration court. At least two other agents approached the man from a side hallway that leads to a service elevator and surrounded him.
Nearby immigration advocates and members of the media attempted to take photos, but agents blocked their view by keeping their arms raised in the air.
Witnesses said the man stated he wanted to self-deport to Mexico as he was being restrained, but this could not be independently confirmed.
Agents led the man down a hallway towards a service elevator while advocates and members of the media raced downstairs to intercept them, but were unable to find the agents or detained man.
Law enforcement officers stand in the lobby of the John Moss Federal Building during a lockdown Thursday. The building was closed to the public for several hours after a man was detained by suspected immigration enforcement agents.Greg Micek/CapRadio
The courthouse was then locked down about 45 minutes later, just before noon. Only those with appointments and employees were allowed in during the lockdown, which was still in effect several hours later.
Protesters push back
Outside the building, dozens of protesters gathered, chanting “No ICE, No KKK, no fascist USA…”
“ICE was up here arresting immigrant families that are here for their appointments. Appointments, ok! That is unfair. That is illegal,” said protester Tanya Homman. “They’re here doing the right thing. They’re doing it the right way and you have ICE sitting here in the background ready to shackle him and take him out the back.”
Protesters look at a van allegedly holding at least one detainee Thursday, June 12, 2025, outside of the John Moss Federal Building at 650 Capitol Mall in Sacramento. They blocked the exits to make sure the van couldn't leave.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
A van parked behind a black SUV allegedly holding at least one detainee Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Sacramento.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
Amiri is a 23-year old from Sacramento who did not want to share his last name. He said he was protesting because his mom is an immigrant from Japan and he grew up seeing her go through the country's complicated immigration system.
“So I understand the pain of people being persecuted for their immigration status,” he said. “She's been through a lot with immigration.”
He argued that federal agents were overstepping their bounds and criticized the Trump administration for pushing the narrative that immigrants are criminals.
“[Immigrants] built this nation,” he said. “Most immigrants that come here just want to have a better life. They don't want to do crime.”
Protesters blocked the three exits from the building and tried to block a van—allegedly holding at least one detainee—from leaving. At least one protester was detained.
Courthouse security said shutdowns will happen occasionally, if there is an operation about to happen or if they have another reason to do so.
A protester is detained by police officers Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Sacramento.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
Agents in the courthouse
NorCal Resist is a nonprofit where volunteers can support immigrants and try to prevent people from getting arrested or detained by ICE.
Morgan Murphy from NorCal Resist, said she came to the court building to accompany someone who was having their hearing. The person she accompanied got their paperwork and she escorted him out.
Noticing there was a further need for her presence in the court, she remained in the building accompanying others who were having their cases heard.
Murphy said she was in an elevator with immigrants and two ICE agents followed them inside.
They got to the first floor and when the elevator opened, Murphy said she told the agents they would exit after them because they were closer to the door.
The agents instead said ‘after you.’ Murphy was concerned by that response and stayed put. She said the agents told them “Okay, we’ll go for a little ride.”
“They proceeded to press every floor button,” Murphy said. “We went up and down. We finally made it back down to the first floor during the ride. One of them said to the other one, ‘don't try to talk to [another agent], he doesn't speak any English.”
Police stand on the corner of 7th and N streets in downtown Sacramento after protestors moved away from the entrance of the John Moss Federal Building. Demonstrators had gathered in response to the detention of a man by suspected ICE agents.Greg Micek/CapRadio
Protester pressure
Giselle Garcia, a volunteer from NorCal Resist, was also in attendance at the courthouse. She didn’t get inside because the building was shut down due to people trying to enter.
Garcia said the closure resulted from NorCal Resist and other observers. She said they tried to intimidate them from leaving the building and when that didn’t work, they locked the building.
“They don't want observers in there documenting all of the government offenses against humanity,” Garica said.
Garcia said the people coming to a court hearing follow the law and they’re being arrested with “no rhyme or reason to meet these quotas.”
“ICE blocks us from being able to obtain basic identifying information so that we can connect them with attorneys, so we can locate them in the detainee system,” Garcia said. “They're trying to throw every effort that we are trying to do— to build a connection, a network of support.”
Morgan said they need more privileged bodies to help protest issues that involve detention. Garcia agreed and added that this isn’t just a Latino, brown issue — it’s an international issue that affects everyone.
“Black immigrants have the highest rates of detention in this country, from Haiti, from African countries, Nigeria and Dominican Republic,” Garcia said. “This is an Asian issue. We need all hands on deck right now. If you have status and can come here and don't run a risk of being arrested by ICE, you need to be here.”
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