Supreme Court to take up key Trump immigration case that could restart ‘catch and release’

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging the Trump administration's policy of indefinite detention for undocumented immigrants awaiting deportation proceedings, potentially setting a major precedent in immigration law. The case centers on Ricardo Aparecido de Cunha, a Brazilian national detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being arrested for driving without a license in Massachusetts. De Cunha had been living in the U.S. since the mid-2000s but was denied a bond hearing when he requested one, despite lower courts ordering his release pending appeal. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that long-term detention without hearings violates federal law, while other circuits have upheld indefinite detention policies. This national split prompted the Supreme Court to take up the case in its new term beginning October 5, 2025, which could affect millions of undocumented immigrants across the country.