Supreme Court Weighs Jailed Immigrants’ Rights to Bail Hearings
The New York Times
Lawyers for the federal government said immigrants detained for months while they fight deportation are not entitled to seek release from immigration judges.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday over whether immigrants detained for long periods while they are fighting deportation are entitled to hearings to decide whether they may be released on bond as their cases move forward.
The court’s answer to the question, which it considered in two cases, will affect thousands of immigrants detained for many months while their cases are decided by immigration courts facing long backlogs.
Justice Stephen G. Breyer said allowing people to seek release as their cases work their way through the legal system is a bedrock principle with deep historical roots. “Given the history of this nation and Britain, where you’re going to detain a person, not even a criminal, you know, for months and months and months, why aren’t they at least entitled to a bail hearing?” he asked. “That’s all that’s at issue.”
