The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday defended its policy of having Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrest people at their immigration court hearings after a class-action lawsuit was filed that seeks to stop the practice.

A group of immigrants and civil rights groups is suing the Trump administration in an effort to halt arrests at United States courthouses when defendants appear for immigration proceedings.

A diverse group of volunteers, including faith leaders, grandmothers and retired lawyers, have been escorting people to immigration courts across the country to offer moral and logistical support.