As the immigration crackdown continues in the Twin Cities, local advocates are concerned that the court cases that follow are happening in secret. 

During a chaotic operation Monday in south Minneapolis, WCCO learned that a couple in their 20s from Ecuador joined more than 400 others detained in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's so-called Operation Metro Surge.

At a press conference Wednesday, community advocates raised concerns about operations being carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforecement. Michele Garnett McKenzie, who leads The Advocates for Human Rights, says the problems don't end after high-profile raids.

"It's very hard to recognize America, what it was to me," McKenzie said.

That's why the group often has legal observers in federal court for deportation hearings, a process McKenzie says has worked without issue since 2017. 

"Trial monitoring, it's sort of a time-tested way to make sure that justice is fairly administered," she said.

For the metro area, those hearings are being held at the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. McKenzie says in recent months, more often than not, authorities inside are denying her team from doing their work.

"We have seen a deterioration in access to the immigration courts," she said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, "hearings in removal proceedings are generally open to the public." There are special rules for certain kinds of cases, and immigration judges are authorized to close hearings. 

McKenzie says they don't have an explanation for these recent cases happening out of public view. 

"We have not been able to get any clear answers from the government," she said. "Sometimes it's just, you know, 'That's the way it is, the judge wants it closed.' Sometimes they don't want to talk to us."

McKenzie is concerned that the more than 400 people swept up in recent ICE operations will face their hearings without any public scrutiny or documentation.