A federal judge in California has delivered a landmark ruling that compels the Trump administration to provide bond hearings to thousands of migrants held in detention facilities across the United States.
Nationwide Class Certified for Existing Residents
US District Judge Sunshine Sykes, based in Riverside, California, has certified a nationwide class of individuals affected by a controversial administration policy. The ruling specifically applies to migrants who were already living in the United States at the time of their detention by immigration authorities.
Judge Sykes determined that these individuals are legally entitled to a hearing to determine if they can be released on bond while their deportation cases are processed through the courts. This decision challenges the administration's policy, implemented in July, which denied such hearings to migrants detained during domestic enforcement operations.
A "Single Stroke" for Due Process
In her ruling, Judge Sykes found the Trump administration's policy to be illegal, aligning with dozens of other federal judges who have ruled on individual or small group cases. The key distinction, she argued, lies in a longstanding interpretation of federal immigration law.
The administration had argued that individuals' circumstances were too varied for a blanket ruling, requiring case-by-case review. However, Sykes, an appointee of President Joe Biden, stated that being deprived of a bond hearing was a common injury to the entire class. She wrote that this injury "can be resolved in a single stroke upon the determination that the new policy is in violation of (migrants') due process rights."
The core of the legal debate revolves around the definition of an "applicant for admission." Federal law subjects these applicants to mandatory detention. The Trump administration had expanded this definition in July to include non-citizens already residing in the US, not just those arriving at a port of entry. Judge Sykes firmly disagreed, stating the law makes a clear distinction between existing residents and new arrivals.
Implications for Thousands in Detention
The ruling has immediate and significant consequences. As of last week, approximately 65,000 people were in immigration detention in the US, according to official government data. This nationwide class action means a vast number of them now have a pathway to request release on bond.
The case was originally filed by four migrants, whose lawyers, along with the US Department of Justice, did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the judge's decision. The ruling represents a substantial check on executive immigration policy and reinforces the role of the judiciary in protecting due process rights.
