Judge Imposes Injunction on Trump's Actions to Accelerate Swift Removal of Migrants
In a significant ruling, a U.S. federal court has temporarily halted the Trump administration's attempt to expand the use of fast-track deportations for detained migrants within the country.
The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, comes as a setback for President Donald Trump's efforts to expand the use of the federal expedited removal statute. Cobb suggested that the administration's expanded use of expedited removal may be unconstitutional.
The administration's move to expedite deportations has been questioned for potentially trampling on individuals' due process rights. Cobb wrote a 48-page opinion that the government's argument that undocumented migrants are entitled to no process under the Fifth Amendment is startling and risky for everyone.
The effort to expand such speedy deportations has triggered lawsuits by the American Civil Liberties Union and immigrant rights groups. The ruling could benefit hundreds of thousands of people, as the administration's expanded use of expedited removal could lead to erroneous removals via the truncated process.
The Trump administration began expanding the use of expedited removal in May, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers positioning themselves in hallways to arrest people after judges accept government requests to dismiss deportation cases. Even if people are aware of their right to file an asylum claim, they can be swiftly removed if they fail an initial screening.
However, fast-track deportations can be put on hold by filing an asylum claim. Yet, many people may be unaware of that right. Cobb argued that prioritizing speed over all else will lead to erroneous removals via the truncated process.
The Department of Homeland Security announced shortly after Trump came to office that it was expanding the use of expedited removal. DHS stated that Cobb's ruling ignores the President's clear authorities under both Article II of the Constitution and the plain language of federal law. DHS also maintained that Trump "has a mandate to arrest and deport the worst of the worst" and that "we have the law, facts, and common sense on our side."
Trump, who has promised to engineer a massive deportation operation during his 2024 campaign, has not commented on the court's ruling as of yet. It remains to be seen how this ruling will impact the administration's immigration policies in the coming months.
