US Appeals Court Rejects Trump Administration’s Immigration Detention Policy
A US federal appeals court has struck down a key Trump administration immigration policy that required most detained migrants to be held without bond hearings, calling the government’s interpretation of immigration law incorrect and unlawful.
In a 3–0 ruling, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit found that the administration misapplied a decades-old immigration statute to justify mandatory detention of a broad category of non-citizens, including long-term residents of the United States.
The court said the government’s interpretation of the 1996 immigration law would have a “seismic impact” on the immigration system, potentially leading to overcrowded detention facilities, family separations, and widespread disruption in communities.
Under the policy, the Department of Homeland Security had classified many undocumented immigrants already living inside the US as “applicants for admission,” making them ineligible for bond hearings during immigration proceedings. Critics said this marked a major shift from previous administrations, where non-citizens without criminal records were often eligible for release on bond while their cases were reviewed.
Immigration advocates welcomed the ruling, saying it reaffirmed due process protections. The New York Civil Liberties Union called the policy unlawful and argued that it violated both immigration law and constitutional rights.
The decision creates a split among US appellate courts, increasing the likelihood that the issue will be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
The ruling is a significant setback for the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has expanded detention, tightened screening, and reduced avenues for release for undocumented migrants across the country.
