Increasing habeas corpus petitions pose challenges for immigrant detainees, lawyers and courts
It has been widely reported that the Trump White House floated the idea of suspending the writ of habeas corpus for noncitizens. That is not surprising given that habeas actions have skyrocketed with the administration's mass detention of noncitizens.
New Hampshire Public Radio looked at habeas corpus petitions in New Hampshire. In this small state, more than 200 habeas actions have been filed in New Hampshire U.S. District Court this past year:
"New Hampshire, like the rest of the country, has seen these filings skyrocket as the Trump administration detains more immigrants but immigration courts hold fewer bond hearings.
The sheer number of filings can put a strain on detainees, attorneys and the courts. These habeas corpus petitions made up just 1% of cases in New Hampshire's federal district court in 2024, but made up 27% of cases in May, as lawyers and detainees try to use them to get a bond hearing."
This story reminded me that immigration enforcement is touching every state in the Union. New Hampshire? I think more about Walter White fleeing there in Breaking Bad than I think about immigrants.
