Judge Strikes Down Trump’s Fast-Track Deportation Expansion, Citing Due Process Rights

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has dealt a major blow to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, ruling that its attempt to broaden the use of fast-track deportations is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb issued the decision on Friday, blocking a policy that sought to allow immigration officers to deport undocumented immigrants found anywhere in the country who had lived in the U.S. for less than two years.

Previously, expedited removal was limited to migrants caught within 100 miles of the border and who had been in the country for fewer than 14 days.

In her ruling, Judge Cobb stressed that migrants inside the U.S. are entitled to basic constitutional protections, including the right to due process. She described the government’s position—that such protections do not apply—as “truly startling,” warning that accepting such an argument would place both noncitizens and citizens at risk of arbitrary treatment.

The administration had argued that the expansion was necessary to remove what it called “the worst of the worst” and to speed up deportations at a scale of nearly one million people annually. But Judge Cobb cautioned that rushing removals without proper hearings could easily lead to mistakes and wrongful deportations.

Civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Make the Road New York, welcomed the ruling, calling it a victory for fairness and the rule of law.

They noted that many of the individuals targeted by the policy have families, jobs, and established lives in the U.S., and should not be stripped of their rights.

The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, defended the policy, insisting that the president has broad authority over immigration enforcement.

Officials are expected to appeal the decision, though the judge declined to issue a stay, meaning her block remains in effect for now.

The ruling marks the second time this month that Judge Cobb has reined in efforts by the administration to expand removal powers, having recently halted a similar plan aimed at migrants admitted under humanitarian parole.

Together, the decisions highlight a growing judicial resistance to attempts to prioritize speed over due process in immigration matters.

For now, the court’s intervention halts one of the Trump administration’s most aggressive immigration measures, and the outcome of a likely appeal could determine how far the White House is able to go in reshaping the nation’s deportation system.