A federal appeals court in the United States provided crucial support for keeping detained immigrants without the right to request bail, even if they have been living in the country for years, marking one of the toughest immigration policies of the Trump administration.
The ruling was issued on Friday by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, with a split decision of 2-1. This marks the first time an appeals court has upheld this measure, despite hundreds of federal judges in lower courts declaring the policy illegal in similar cases, according to the agency Reuters.
The decision directly impacts Texas and Louisiana, states with numerous immigration detention centers, where a significant portion of the detained immigrants in the country are concentrated.
CNN specified that the ruling also applies in Mississippi, within the jurisdiction of the Fifth Circuit.
What changes with this ruling?
The central point lies in the Trump administration’s interpretation of immigration law, as the administration maintains that some immigrants detained within the United States may be considered "applicants for admission," a category that, under federal law, can result in mandatory detention without bail hearings while their case is pending.
Judge Edith Jones, appointed by Ronald Reagan, wrote the majority opinion and argued that the government has the authority to enforce the law more strictly.
"The fact that previous administrations chose to use less than their full authority does not mean they lacked the authority to do more," cited CNN.
Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated the ruling on social media, describing it as a "harsh blow" against the judges who have blocked the government's immigration measures.
Dissent: “it could affect millions”
Judge Dana Douglas, appointed by Joe Biden, warned in her dissenting opinion that the ruling could pave the way for the detention without bail of up to two million non-citizens in the United States.
Telemundo also highlighted that the case could ultimately be handed over to the Supreme Court, as other appellate courts will review the issue in the coming weeks.
For now, the ruling sets a dangerous precedent, as in several southern states, detention without bail may become the new norm for thousands of immigrants amid the tightening immigration policies pushed by Trump.
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