Ryan Tarinelli is reporting for the New York Law Journal Governor Andrew M. Cuomo this week signed a bill to prevent federal authorities from carrying out civil arrests without a judicial warrant on immigrants attending proceedings in court. “New York’s courts will no longer be hunting grounds for federal agents attempting to round-up and initiate deportation proceedings against immigrants,” said the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Brad Hoylman. The legislation, known as the “Protect Our Courts Act,” was approved by the state Senate and Assembly over the summer. After signing the bill into law December 15, Cuomo issued a statement saying the legislation makes sure that people can “have their day in court” without the worry of being targeted unfairly by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Cuomo said in a radio interview last year, “I want to do nothing to cooperate with ICE and the less we can facilitate what they’re doing the better, as far as I’m concerned. I think they’ve trampled on constitutional rights.” Mizue Aizeki, interim executive director at the Immigrant Defense Project, released a statement celebrated the measure, saying ICE has taken advantage of the court system to push forward an agenda of deportation. The Legal Aid Society weighed in as well, saying their clients can now attend court “without fear of ICE’s predatory and unconstitutional enforcement.” Read the full story in the New York Law Journal.