The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether noncitizens detained for prolonged periods can be held without a bond hearing, a ruling that could reshape the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and due-process rights for detainees.

A New York federal appeals court previously ruled that due process requires a bond hearing for prolonged detention, a decision the Trump administration appealed as misguided.

The Court’s review centers on the legality of long detention without bond hearings for certain aliens facing deportation, with emphasis on the due process rights of detainees who have aggravated felony convictions.

The ACLU represents the detained individuals, arguing that eliminating bond hearings strips away fundamental due-process protections, while the Solicitor General argues that individualized flight-risk and danger findings are not required by statute.

The impact of the case extends to noncitizens facing removal proceedings and could influence how courts balance national security concerns with individual liberty.

The coverage frames the detainee rights in immigration cases within a broader legal framework and signals a potentially significant Supreme Court ruling that could alter detention standards and procedures.

The Second Circuit held that the government must prove by clear and convincing evidence that a detainee poses flight risk or danger to justify continued detention without a bond hearing.

The government contends that immigration law mandates deportation for aggravated felonies and allows mandatory detention based on those convictions, arguing that due-process bond rights are not triggered.

Earlier, in 2016, the Supreme Court ruled 5-3 that federal law did not require bond hearings, though the decision left room for dissenters to warn about potential constitutional issues.

Two green-card holders, including G.M. from the Dominican Republic and Carol Black from Jamaica, were detained for months to years without bond hearings, prompting the 2nd Circuit to rule they were entitled to bond hearings under due-process standards.

The 2nd Circuit’s ruling suggested that prolonged detention without a bond hearing can be unconstitutional for lawful permanent residents facing removal, potentially paving the way for release if they pose no risk.

Separately, authorities have expanded mandatory detention by reclassifying more immigrants, a shift repeatedly challenged in court and likely to reach the Supreme Court.