Top Immigration Court OKs No-Bond Rule, Putting Millions Under Mandatory ICE Detention

The Board of Immigration Appeals upheld a Trump administration policy barring bond hearings for immigrants who entered without authorization, effectively expanding mandatory detention to thousands now in custody and potentially millions nationwide. The decision binds immigration judges under DOJ, reversing long-standing practice of releasing non-dangerous, non–flight-risk detainees on bond. Advocates warn it will coerce people to abandon cases and worsen detention conditions; multiple federal lawsuits, including a class action in California, are underway and early rulings have found similar no-bond rules unlawful. The policy shift is part of a broader enforcement escalation since July 2025 and could trigger rapid, high-profile federal court challenges.