Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Interior Expedited Removal Expansion

The court said the policy likely violates due process by exposing long‑term residents to removal without hearings.

Overview

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb issued a 48-page opinion halting the expansion beyond border-adjacent, recent-entry cases.
The administration had moved to apply expedited removal inside the country to migrants present for longer periods.
Cobb warned of a significant risk of erroneous deportations and criticized the approach as “reckless.”
Make the Road New York filed the challenge, alleging arrests and removals from immigration courts without hearings.
The government defends the policy as a lawful effort to streamline enforcement, and the judge said the ruling does not question use of expedited removal at the border.