On December 12, 2025, a federal court in Washington, D.C., ruled that ICE must adhere to existing protections for immigrant teens transitioning to adulthood, blocking a policy that would have placed them in adult detention.
Washington, D.C., December 12, 2025 — A federal court in Washington, D.C., has issued a ruling requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to comply with a long-standing court order that safeguards immigrant teens from being transferred to adult detention centers. This decision effectively blocks a recent ICE policy that aimed to automatically transfer unaccompanied children into adult detention upon turning 18.
The court’s order specifically addresses children who initially entered the United States as unaccompanied minors and who “age out” of the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The ORR is the federal program responsible for the care of unaccompanied children, placing them in shelters and later with family members or guardians.
This ruling enforces a permanent injunction established in the 2021 case Garcia Ramirez v. ICE, which mandates that ICE must consider the least restrictive setting available for every unaccompanied child who turns 18. It also requires that all age-outs be eligible for alternatives to detention.
Suchita Mathur, a senior litigation attorney with the American Immigration Council, commented on the ruling, stating, “This ruling makes clear that ICE cannot secretly flout the law or blatantly ignore court orders. ICE tried to detain newly-18-year-olds as a matter of course. These are kids that ICE officers have found, in almost all cases, do not pose a danger or flight risk, with sponsors, families, and community support waiting for them. This decision puts a stop to that.”
The controversial policy, introduced on October 1, instructed shelters and attorneys that all unaccompanied children turning 18 would be transferred to adult detention, regardless of whether they had safe homes and sponsors ready to take them in. Critics argue that adult detention poses significant risks to the teenagers’ short- and long-term development. Currently, ICE is holding a record number of individuals in detention, leading to overcrowded and inhumane conditions, including inadequate medical care, abusive treatment, and limited access to legal and psychological support. The court found that automatically transferring teens to adult detention without considering safer, age-appropriate alternatives constitutes a violation of the law.
Mark Fleming, associate director of federal litigation at the National Immigrant Justice Center, emphasized the importance of the ruling, stating, “Today’s ruling sends a powerful message: ICE can’t put teenagers in dangerous, overcrowded facilities just because they turned 18. There are safer, lawful options that keep young people connected to school, family, and community. That’s what the law requires, and that’s what this order restores.”
The court’s ruling mandates that ICE immediately cease following its October 1 guidance and remove any individuals who were placed in detention as a result of this policy.
For further details, the court order and opinion can be accessed through the appropriate legal channels.
This ruling marks a significant victory for advocates seeking to protect the rights of immigrant minors and reinforces the necessity for humane treatment within the immigration system, according to American Immigration Council.