ICE in courts: How two photojournalists are dealing with the trauma of documenting immigrant detentions at Federal Plaza | amNewYork

"Guzy, 69, and Delgado, 49, have walked the hallways of 26 Federal Plaza, working alongside amNewYork and other outlets to document masked federal agents arresting immigrants who attended legally mandated court hearings. With Delgado on assignment for Reuters, a photo service, and Guzy performing a long-term photo project, both shutterbugs knew that the proliferation and escalation of President Trump's immigration enforcement crackdown would be a vital story to tell."

"I actually came to photograph the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island, I didn't come to do the court. And then I'm like, well maybe I should check it (immigration court) out for a day or two and here I am, almost five months later, Guzy told amNewYork. Once I spent one minute, much less one day at the court, I thought this is a really compelling, important story that's vital to be covered right now."

"Delgado, on the other hand, had been covering mass migration to the Big Apple in the years leading up to the 2025 ICE detentions and says he first noticed the sheer number of people lining up outside 26 Federal Plaza for their hearings. In the days and weeks and months he has spent capturing daily life inside the courts, he prides himself on maintaining professionalism by treating the respondents, court workers, and even the ICE agents with respect."

Carol Guzy and David Dee Delgado entered 26 Federal Plaza almost every day for five months to photograph ICE detainments inside the immigration court. They documented masked federal agents arresting immigrants who attended legally mandated hearings. Delgado covered mass migration to New York and noticed large lines outside the courthouse; Guzy shifted from photographing the Mermaid Parade to a long-term court project. Delgado worked with Reuters while Guzy collaborated with amNewYork and other outlets. Both recognized the escalation of immigration enforcement under President Trump and presented the scenes respectfully, with Delgado emphasizing professional treatment of respondents, court workers, and ICE agents.

Read at www.amny.com