In summer 2025, I-ARC launched a Court Observation Project as a response to ICE flooding immigration courts and an unprecedented boom in courthouse arrests. I-ARC mobilized volunteers to collect data on what was happening within immigration courts throughout New York State (both in NYC and upstate). Through data analysis, I-ARC identified a number of trends worth tracking as they centered on themes immigration legal service providers were asking about most often. We created a workbook to highlight trends in WebEx usage, pretermission, motion outcomes, and more. South Brooklyn Sanctuary collaborates with I-ARC on this workbook trend tracker by contributing and updating court clerk information.

Within the first ten months of the Court Observation Project, we trained hundreds of volunteers who then observed more than 6,000 hearings across the 4 immigration court rooms in New York State. I-ARC shares developments and findings from the Court Observation Project with Members regularly. I-ARC also shares updates to volunteers so they have an understanding of the impact of their efforts. 

The Court Observation Project is an example of the volunteer opportunities available with I-ARC. For more information, please reach out to us at: volunteer@immigrantarc.org.