- Federal judges have ruled more than 4,400 times since October that President Donald Trump's administration unlawfully detained immigrants, according to a review by Reuters.
- The decisions, issued by over 400 judges, broadly challenge the administration’s shift away from a decades-old policy allowing immigrants to seek bond while their cases proceed in court.
- ICE detention levels have climbed to about 68,000, roughly a 75% increase since Trump returned to office, even as courts continue to order releases through habeas corpus rulings.
- Judges in multiple states have accused the government of violating court orders, with some citing failures to release detainees or improper transfers across state lines.
- The administration says it is lawfully enforcing immigration policy and pursuing appeals, arguing the surge in lawsuits reflects judicial disagreement rather than misconduct.
Federal judges across the United States have ruled more than 4,400 times since October that President Donald Trump's administration unlawfully detained immigrants, according to a review of court records conducted by Reuters.
The rulings, issued by more than 400 federal judges, represent a broad judicial challenge to the administration's immigration enforcement policies.
Many of the cases center on the administration's shift away from a decades-old interpretation of federal law that allowed immigrants living in the U.S. to seek release on bond while their immigration cases proceeded. Since Trump returned to office, the population in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention has risen to approximately 68,000 – a roughly 75% increase from the start of his term.
According to Reuters' analysis of federal habeas corpus petitions, legal challenges alleging unlawful detention, at least 4,421 cases since October have resulted in rulings that ICE improperly held detainees. Habeas corpus, a legal principle dating back to 14th-century English courts and enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, allows individuals to challenge unlawful imprisonment.
Reuters found more than 700 department attorneys handling immigration-related cases, with some appearing on over 1,000 habeas filings. In Minnesota, Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz said the government violated 96 court orders across 76 cases by failing to release detainees. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen acknowledged in a filing that the cases had created an "enormous burden" on government lawyers.
In New York, U.S. District Judge Nusrat Choudhury wrote that ICE violated "clear and unambiguous orders" by transferring a detainee across state lines while misrepresenting his location to the court.
Other judges have issued similar rebukes.
In West Virginia, U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, ordered the release of a Venezuelan detainee last week, criticizing the government's legal stance. "It is appalling that the Government insists that this Court should redefine or completely disregard the current law as it is clearly written," Johnston wrote.
In Minnesota, Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz ruled that 18-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker Joseph Thomas had been unlawfully detained following a traffic stop and ordered his immediate release. Judge Eric Tostrud, a Trump appointee, separately ruled that Joseph's father was entitled to a bond hearing, rejecting the government's statutory interpretation.
ICE defies courts, jails immigrants despite legal rebukes
Most of the decisions focus on the Trump administration's break from a nearly 30-year interpretation of federal law that allowed immigrants already residing in the U.S. to seek release on bond while their cases moved in immigration court.
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the provision is intended to ensure that individuals are not detained indefinitely and have the opportunity to present their case, but it has been criticized for allowing individuals who pose a risk to public safety to remain in the country. The law also includes a provision for "cancellation of removal," which can allow individuals to remain in the U.S. if they can demonstrate that their departure would cause an exceptional or extremely unusual hardship to a qualifying relative.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the surge in lawsuits was "no surprise," adding that it comes "especially after many activist judges have attempted to thwart President Trump from fulfilling the American people's mandate for mass deportations."
The administration has continued to detain individuals while pursuing appeals and broader legal arguments, defending its authority despite the decisions. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the federal government is "working to lawfully deliver on President Trump's mandate to enforce federal immigration law."
Watch the video below that talks about Trump's deployment of National Guard in Washington.
This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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