A federal judge in Washington, DC, has struck down Trump administration policies that broadened the use of expedited deportations, ruling they violated migrants’ constitutional rights.
US District Judge Jia Cobb sided with immigrant rights group Make the Road New York on Friday, halting two policies adopted in January that extended fast-track removals beyond the border to apply anywhere in the United States. The measures targeted non-citizens unable to prove at least two years of continuous residence.
For decades, expedited deportations had applied mainly to migrants detained shortly after crossing the border. Cobb said the expansion was a significant departure, affecting people with deeper ties to the country. She warned the streamlined process risked wrongful removals, calling it “skimpy” and inconsistent with Fifth Amendment protections.
The Department of Homeland Security argued the ruling undermined presidential authority to enforce immigration laws, but Cobb declined to delay her decision while the administration considers an appeal.
Earlier this month, the judge also blocked efforts to fast-track deportations of migrants admitted under Biden-era humanitarian parole programs.
