The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider the extent of the federal government’s power to detain for deportation immigrants who have served time for criminal acts. Immigrants would have to convince an immigration judge that they posed no danger to others and were not a flight risk. Other lower courts have agreed with the government’s reading that detention is mandatory no matter when the noncitizen is picked up. The issue concerns language in the federal law that authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to seize someone for deportation “when the alien is released” from criminal custody. On a 5-to-3 vote, the court said federal law did not require a bond hearing even after months or years of detention of those facing deportation.

Source: Washington Post March 19, 2018 21:41 UTC