ICE Revokes Bond Hearings for Illegals Immigrants Fighting Deportation

The Trump administration is seeking to keep illegal immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in federal custody by denying them bond hearings.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons wrote in an agency memo distributed earlier this month that while migrants without lawful status have historically been allowed to request a bond hearing before an immigration judge as they fight deportation proceedings in court, the Trump administration has revoked that privilege, per documents obtained by the Washington Post and other outlets.

“The recent guidance closes a loophole to our nation’s security based on an inaccurate interpretation of the statute,” a spokesperson for the agency told the Washington Examiner. “It is aligned with the nation’s long-standing immigration law. All aliens seeking to enter our country in an unlawful manner or for illicit purposes shall be treated equally under the law, while still receiving due process.”

The departments of Homeland Security and Justice “revisited” their positions on “detention and release authorities” and determined that such immigrants “may not be released from ICE custody,” according to the July 8 memo. Under ICE’s most recent directive, immigrants who entered the United States unlawfully should be detained “for the duration of their removal proceedings,” which could last years.

The policy change allows for some limited exceptions where the migrant could be released on parole, although the decision will be up to an ICE officer instead of a judge, according to Lyons, who noted the new approach is likely to face legal challenges.

ICE’s latest decree comes as the agency has expanded raids targeting illegal immigrants to include undocumented workers working in industries heavily reliant on migrant labor, despite President Donald Trump’s promise to resolve concerns that such actions could put the businesses at a disadvantage.

Protests have broken out across the country against the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants, including those working in the hospitality and agriculture industries, with some demonstrations in areas such as Los Angeles turning into anti-ICE riots that caused at least $1 billion in damages to businesses.

During an ICE raid last week at two farms for one of the largest cannabis companies in California, more outrage was sparked when one worker died after falling from a greenhouse roof.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, called the situation “sad” in comments to CNN responding to the death.

“It’s obviously unfortunate when there are deaths. … No one wants to see people die,” he said. “He wasn’t in ICE custody. ICE did not have hands on this person.”

Many of the migrants targeted for removal were permitted to enter the country under relaxed Biden-era policies. They now face policy changes implemented under a new administration, with the recently passed Trump-backed “big, beautiful bill” allowing ICE to hire 10,000 new officers targeting migrants for deportation. The sweeping tax cuts bill passed earlier this month also allocated nearly $200 billion over the next decade to expand anti-illegal immigration measures.