US appeals court rejects Trump expansion of mandatory migrant detention

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration cannot deny detained immigrants within the United States the opportunity for release on bond. The San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals issued the two-to-one decision, with a judge appointed by President Trump in the majority. This ruling deepens a split among federal appeals courts regarding the administration's mandatory detention policy, as four other circuits have rejected it, while two have sided with the administration. The Department of Homeland Security stated it disagrees with the Ninth Circuit's decision and is confident in its legal position. Previously, most noncitizens without criminal records arrested inside the US could seek bond hearings, with mandatory detention generally applied to those apprehended at the border. Last July, immigration officials expanded mandatory detention to immigrants in the US interior.

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration cannot deny immigrants detained within the United States the opportunity to seek release on bond. The 2-1 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco deepens a split among federal appeals courts regarding the administration's mandatory detention policy. While four other appeals courts have rejected the policy, two have sided with the administration, increasing the likelihood of a Supreme Court review. The ruling stems from guidance issued last July that expanded mandatory detention to immigrants in the U.S. interior, a move that prompted numerous lawsuits. The Trump administration argued that a 1996 law allowed for this broader detention, but the majority opinion favored the historical understanding of the statute.