Judge disrupts Trump administration’s efforts to accelerate deportations

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Deportation Promotions by Trump Administration

A federal judge issued a temporary ban on Friday, preventing the Trump administration from actively promoting deportation during its crackdown on illegal immigration.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb stated that the administration’s efforts to expedite the removal of undocumented immigrants, without allowing them their day in court, infringes upon individual due process rights.

“The government presents a rather surprising argument in defense of this expedited process,” Cobb wrote. “Those who enter the country illegally should not be entitled to protections under the Fifth Amendment and must instead accept the consequences laid out by Congress. This could put everyone, not just non-citizens, at risk.”

In her 48-page opinion, she elaborated, “The government can essentially accuse you of illegal entry and trigger a streamlined lawsuit that ‘proves’ this claim and leads to your rapid removal.”

She further highlighted the dangers of such a process: “Simply being accused of entering illegally could mean your removal, but thankfully, that’s not how the law works,” she added.

While campaigning, Trump promised extensive deportation efforts, focusing much of his immigration strategy on diminishing legitimate pathways to citizenship. On his first day back in office, he signed a series of executive orders aimed at restricting immigration and enhancing border security.

In the following months, the administration intensified its push for self-reporting, increasing funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across the country while promoting deportation flights under the Alien Enemy Act. This approach has generated significant controversy and sparked legal challenges.

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) broadened the application of its rapid removal process, empowering the administration to expel undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for two years or less.

Although appointed by President Biden in 2021, Cobb based her ruling on the absence of a legitimate processing system, without assessing the constitutionality of the rapid removal process itself.

“When applying the law to a vast number of individuals within the country who weren’t previously subject to rapid removal, the government essentially claims they must forgo legitimate procedural protections,” she commented in her opinion. “There are currently no procedures being followed.”

Cobb later warned, “Choosing speed over due diligence could lead the government to mistakenly remove individuals through this abbreviated process.”

This ruling follows Cobb’s previous decision to temporarily block the administration from implementing measures intended to quickly track the removal of undocumented immigrants under a Biden-era program known as humanitarian parole.