PJLC Provides Legal Support to Immigration Courtwatch
Program

The Peace and Justice Law Center is providing legal support to a Santa Ana immigration courtwatch program after a federal immigration agent shoved a participating clergymember during lawful observation inside the courthouse. The incident raised urgent concerns about the safety of community observers and the transparency of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

The courtwatch program is led by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), an organization founded by Rev. James Lawson, a nationally recognized leader of the civil rights movement whose commitment to nonviolence and human dignity has long been a touchstone for PJLC’s work and values.

CLUE organizes trained volunteers to observe hearings at the Santa Ana Immigration Court. Courtwatch programs are a key accountability tool, designed to document misconduct, deter abuse, and ensure that court proceedings respect basic rights.

Following the confrontation, PJLC began preparing a Freedom of Information Act request seeking video and related records of the incident. At the same time, PJLC sought meetings with the court’s presiding immigration judge and the Department of Homeland Security official responsible for courthouse operations to address observer safety and access.

As part of its movement support work, PJLC provided CLUE with a written legal research memo outlining the rights of courtwatch volunteers. PJLC attorneys also met with CLUE leadership, presented at a general membership meeting, and conducted a legal self-defense training outside the courthouse to help observers protect themselves while continuing their work.

This support reflects PJLC’s broader pivot toward federal issues in response to the accelerating democratic decline following President Trump’s election. As immigration enforcement expands and oversight becomes more dangerous, community-based monitoring has become both more essential and more vulnerable.

PJLC is committed to supporting CLUE and the broader immigration rights community for as long as necessary to challenge abusive enforcement practices and resist the Trump administration’s deportation machine.

Update (July 2, 2025):

After this post was drafted, the Los Angeles Times published an article documenting faith leaders accompanying immigrants at deportation hearings across California, including in Santa Ana. The reporting describes escalating confrontations between ICE agents and clergy observers, underscoring the importance of legal support and training efforts like those PJLC is providing to CLUE.