View this email in your browser ([link removed])
[link removed]



** For Immediate Release: April 29, 2025
------------------------------------------------------------


** Rutherford Institute Urges Action After Masked, Plainclothes ICE Agents at Courthouse Spark ‘Kidnapping’ Fears
------------------------------------------------------------

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 ([link removed]) 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 ([link removed]) . “By taking decisive action, our local leaders can send a powerful message that justice and due process are non-negotiable values in our community.”
MAKE THE GOVERNMENT PLAY BY THE RULES OF THE CONSTITUTION: SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM ([link removed])

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 ([link removed]) 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 ([link removed]) 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.

The Rutherford Institute’s letter to the Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle County Board of Supervisors is available at www.rutherford.org ([link removed]) .

The Rutherford Institute ([link removed]) , a nonprofit civil liberties organization, defends individuals whose constitutional rights have been threatened or violated and educates the public on a wide spectrum of issues affecting their freedoms.

This press release is also available at www.rutherford.org ([link removed]) .

Source: [link removed]
[link removed] Share ([link removed])
[link removed]: https%3A%2F%2Fmailchi.mp%2Frutherford%2Fmasked-plainclothes-ice-agents-at-courthouse-spark-kidnapping-fears Tweet ([link removed]: https%3A%2F%2Fmailchi.mp%2Frutherford%2Fmasked-plainclothes-ice-agents-at-courthouse-spark-kidnapping-fears)
[link removed] Forward ([link removed])
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION ([link removed])

To donate via PayPal, please click below:
[link removed]

============================================================
** Follow us on Facebook ([link removed])
** Follow us on Facebook ([link removed])
** Follow us on Twitter ([link removed])
** Follow us on Twitter ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
CONTACT INFORMATION
Nisha Whitehead
(434) 978-3888 ext. 604
** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE
Post Office Box 7482
Charlottesville, VA 22906-7482
Phone: (434) 978-3888
** www.rutherford.org ([link removed])

Copyright © 2025 The Rutherford Institute, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because of your interest in the work of The Rutherford Institute. Founded in 1982 by constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead, The Rutherford Institute is a civil liberties organization that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated. To discontinue your membership electronically, or if you feel you are receiving this message in error, please follow the link below.

Under the regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service, The Rutherford Institute is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization. Donations to support The Rutherford Institute’s legal and educational work help to safeguard the constitutional rights of all Americans. Donations are tax-deductible. In compliance with general industry standards of a nonprofit organization, the Institute is audited annually by an independent accounting firm.

** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])

** update subscription preferences ([link removed])