Federal Courts Rein In Deportations: Interior Expedited Removal Blocked, Minors’ Flights Halted, ICE Heads to Chicago

/ Civil Justice & Rights, Deportation/ Removal, ICE Detention / By

A federal court restored judicial oversight to deportation policy by halting the expansion of expedited removals to individuals residing in the United States. Simultaneously, a judge blocked the deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors, reinforcing procedural and humanitarian safeguards.

Key Developments

September 1, 2025 – Judge Jia M. Cobb halts expanded interior expedited removals
In Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump-era policy extending expedited removal to undocumented individuals found inland who have resided in the U.S. for up to two years. The expansion bypassed court hearings and, according to the ruling, violated Fifth Amendment due process protections. The policy remains confined—if at all—to border-adjacent encounters. Wikipedia, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal

September 1, 2025 – Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan stops deportations of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors
Also in Washington, D.C., Judge Sooknanan issued a 14‑day emergency restraining order preventing the removal of ten Guatemalan children and blocking deportation flights involving potentially hundreds more. The order mandates that any minors already boarded on planes be returned under the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The Wall Street Journal

September 1, 2025 – DHS commits increased ICE enforcement resources to Chicago
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the deployment of additional ICE resources to Chicago. The action requested support from Naval Station Great Lakes, following federal deployment models used in other metropolitan areas. Illinois officials, citing strong sanctuary policies, signaled their intention to resist legally. Axios, AP News, Colorado Newsline

Quick Legal Context
Judge Cobb’s injunction underscores the constitutional boundary of 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b), which governs expedited removal but was historically limited to recent border crossers. Extending it to long-term residents without hearings challenges core due process safeguards. Meanwhile, Judge Sooknanan’s action affirms statutory and common-law protections for unaccompanied minors, whose treatment raises both Fifth Amendment and international law concerns.

DHS’s redeployment to Chicago signals shifts in operational enforcement strategy, raising issues under 8 U.S.C. § 1226, which governs detention and release, and 8 U.S.C. § 1231, which governs removal after final orders. It also heightens political tension in sanctuary jurisdictions, where federal–local cooperation remains a contentious issue.

Watchlist for Tomorrow

  • DOJ appeal filing on Cobb’s injunction

  • Status hearing or extension regarding the minors’ restraining order

  • Local legal response to DHS enforcement expansion in Chicago

  • Monitoring updates from Illinois officials on potential litigation or policy resistance

Sources & Links

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