Judge Sykes Strikes Down Immigration Detention Policy

A federal judge, Sunshine Sykes, dismissed a Board of Immigration Appeals decision supporting mandatory detention during Trump's immigration crackdown. Sykes, appointed by President Biden, deemed the policy illegal, urging compliance with court orders for bond hearings to detained noncitizens. DHS and Justice Department have yet to comment.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 19-02-2026 09:58 IST | Created: 19-02-2026 09:58 IST
Judge Sykes Strikes Down Immigration Detention Policy
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A federal judge recently overturned a Board of Immigration Appeals' decision that had backed the Trump administration's policy on mandatory detention during its immigration crackdown.

U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes labeled the policy as unlawful in a class-action lawsuit impacting migrants nationwide. This decision is broader than previous rulings by hundreds of other judges who found the policy illegal.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have not released a statement. This ruling ensures that immigration judges can no longer deny bond hearings based on the board's decision, providing potential release options to thousands of detained noncitizens.

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