DC Circuit Court Allows Trump to Expand Expedited Deportations

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, to allow the Trump administration to expand expedited removal deportations nationwide. The decision vacates an August 2025 lower court order by Judge Jia Cobb that had blocked the policy on due process grounds following a lawsuit by Make the Road New York and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Under the authorized policy, federal immigration officials can deport any unauthorized immigrant who cannot prove they have lived continuously in the U.S. for more than two years, regardless of their location. Previously, this fast-track process was restricted to border areas and applied only to those unable to prove a two-week presence. The ruling enables the government to carry out these deportations without a full hearing before an immigration judge.

Writing for the majority, Judge Justin R. Walker concluded that the policy complies with federal law, stating that migrants receive sufficient notice and an opportunity to respond. Judge Robert Wilkins dissented, arguing that such a procedure is woefully inadequate for individuals encountered in the interior of the country and increases the risk of erroneous deportations.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security hailed the ruling as a vindication of the administration's immigration strategy. Conversely, the American Civil Liberties Union warned that the expanded authority subjects individuals to an unfair and error-prone system that undermines fundamental due process principles.