9th Circuit Court Rejects Trump Interior Detention Policy

A federal appeals court has ruled against the Trump administration's policy of mandatory detention for certain immigrants apprehended inside the United States, deepening a national legal split that appears destined for the Supreme Court. On Thursday, July 30, 2026, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco voted 2-1 to reject the administration's interpretation of a 1996 immigration law, finding that it does not authorize the government to deny bond hearings to those detained in the country's interior.

The ruling centers on a policy, enacted in July 2025, that expanded mandatory detention without bond to include many immigrants living in the U.S., a departure from the practice of previous administrations. Historically, mandatory detention was generally reserved for individuals apprehended at the border, while those arrested inside the country who lacked serious criminal records were typically allowed to request a bond hearing while their immigration cases proceeded.

Writing for the majority, Judge Daniel Bress, an appointee of President Donald Trump, concluded that the administration's new interpretation was inconsistent with the text and...