Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Overwhelms Federal Courts

Federal judges across the U.S. are struggling to handle a surge of lawsuits from immigrants detained under the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies. The administration’s shift from allowing bond hearings to mandatory detention has led thousands of immigrants to file habeas corpus petitions, creating a heavy caseload for courts.

Court Struggles Across the Country

• Georgia: U.S. District Judge Clay Land called the influx of petitions an “administrative judicial emergency” at Stewart Detention Center, where bond hearings were being denied despite previous court orders.
• Minnesota: Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz reported more than 400 habeas petitions in January alone, criticizing the administration for failing to provide a system to process them efficiently.
• New York: U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian described a flood of petitions from immigrants posing no flight risk or danger. In one case, he ordered the release of a detained Guinean woman.

Administration’s Position

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated it was prepared to manage the legal workload necessary to enforce President Trump’s deportation agenda. DHS and the Justice Department criticized the judiciary, calling delays a result of “rogue judges” rather than administrative shortcomings. A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel recently upheld the government’s policy of detaining immigrants without bond, marking a major legal win for the administration.

Legal Challenges

Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue the administration continues to ignore court rulings that found mandatory detention illegal. In California, U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes ruled the policy unlawful and attempted to expand its scope nationwide, but attorneys claim the government instructed immigration judges to disregard the decision.

Judges Take Action

Courts are taking steps to mitigate the backlog:

• Georgia: Judges are ordering bond hearings for eligible immigrants.
• Maryland: Chief Judge George Russell III blocked immediate removals for immigrants filing habeas petitions.
• Washington: Judge Tiffany Cartwright required that detained immigrants receive notice of her ruling against mandatory detention, noting the strain on attorneys and courts.

The unprecedented surge in habeas petitions highlights the tension between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement priorities and federal courts’ ability to uphold legal protections.