Thursday morning at the Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center seemed normal enough. Courtroom 3D was filled with petitioners, respondents and witnesses, all ready to present their cases to Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard.
On the docket were 11 domestic violence cases. But there was a notable disruption. The respondent for one of the cases was in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
These domestic violence hearings usually move quickly, lasting 5 to 10 minutes. It is ultimately up to the judge to determine whether the petitioner has reasonable proof that they are in imminent danger.
But when one of those parties is not there, the process immediately slows. ICE arrests present challenges to the legal process, and are becoming more commonplace.
The emergence of ICE under the Trump Administration has been dramatic. The agency, which was founded in 2003 as a response to the 9/11 attacks, works to “better protect national security and public safety.”
Since the beginning of 2025, ICE has been holding people in detention in record numbers. According to the American Immigration Council, the number of people held in ICE detention increased by over 75%, and ICE had increased its use of immigration detention facilities by 91%.
These changes have led to a 2,450% increase in the number of people with no criminal record being held in ICE custody, and as of November of 2025, for every one person released from ICE detention, 14.3 people were deported.
While those detained by ICE are in federal custody, they are not automatically transferred to any legal hearings. That leads judges, like Wilson Bullard, to determine whether to continue hearing a case.
This specific case revolved around custody of shared children between the petitioner and the respondent. A representative, who served on behalf of the incarcerated respondent, requested a continuance in the case, while the petitioner objected.
Criminal charges in the case have been dropped, and there was no active no-contact order in place. However, the petitioner requested a temporary relocation order as he is actively looking to take a job in Arizona and to bring his children with him.
While the petitioner consistently argued for the temporary order, Wilson Bullard was put between a rock and a hard place. She could either proceed without the incarcerated respondent and risk due process, or continue the case and delay any protection.
Wilson Bullard ultimately chose to side with the law and set March 19 as the continuation date. Before then, the respondent is expected to have an ICE hearing regarding their immigration status.
While that case set off the day, there was one more case with potential immigration implications.
This case, which featured a respondent and petitioner who have been married since July 2018, dealt with allegations of property destruction and potential assault with a deadly weapon.
Wilson Bullard ruled that the burden of proof was not met by the petitioner, but that was moments after another crucial moment.
The respondent’s legal counsel made the claim that the original petition was filed to attempt to have her green card revoked.
Again, immigration policy had found its way into Courtroom 3D. And it will not be the last time.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who helped establish Operation Tidal Wave in April 2025, announced on Jan. 5 that over 10,000 people had been arrested by ICE agents since the beginning of the campaign.
“This is the largest joint immigration enforcement operation in ICE’s history, and we’re proud that it will continue here in Florida,” DeSantis said.
Furthermore, Alachua County was listed among 13 Florida counties with sheriff's offices that have “played a critical role in supporting ICE operations.”
Thursday’s proceedings mostly went by the book. Eleven different hearings were held. Some were dismissed and some continued. But two were delayed by outside forces.
With immigration policy changing by the second and the number of detainees rising daily, the impact is felt everywhere, even in local courtrooms.