Supreme Court to Decide if Immigrants With Criminal Records Get Bond Hearings During Deportation
The justices agreed on June 15, 2026, to review how long the government may hold immigrants with serious criminal convictions before deportation. The case tests bond-hearing rights and the government's burden of proof.
apnews.comU.S. Supreme Court announced on June 15, 2026, that it will hear a case testing how long the government can detain immigrants with serious criminal records pending deportation. The case asks whether those immigrants are entitled to bond hearings and what burden of proof the government must meet to oppose their release.
The announcement came after the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that detention becomes unconstitutionally prolonged after a certain point and that immigrants must be given bond hearings. The 2nd Circuit also held that the government bears the burden of proof in any bond hearing for these detainees.
In one case, a Jamaican man convicted of sexual abuse against a minor and endangering the welfare of a child was held for seven months.
In the second, a Dominican Republic citizen convicted of second-degree assault was held for 21 months. Both men remain in deportation proceedings but are no longer in custody. S.
Voluntarily and the Dominican Republic citizen is not in custody at this time. At least four of the nine justices agreed to hear the case. S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the time of the lower-court proceedings.
