Overview

• The Justice Department filed an unprecedented lawsuit against all 15 Maryland federal judges over a standing order that halts deportations for two business days when immigrants file habeas corpus petitions.
• The administration argues the court’s automatic stay bypasses procedural and substantive injunction requirements and violates Supreme Court precedents on preliminary relief.
• Chief Judge George Russell III issued the May standing order to manage a surge of after-hours habeas petitions and ensure detained migrants can challenge removal orders.
• Critics contend the lawsuit escalates the White House’s broader effort to limit judicial oversight after multiple federal courts blocked Trump administration immigration actions.
• Justice Department officials warn that unchecked judicial stays threaten executive authority and could undermine the administration’s wider deportation agenda.