In a 5-4 decision on Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court ruled the government could detain immigrants after they had committed a crime, even after they had finished their sentence.
Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said the administration was “pleased with the decision.”
Immigration Law instructs the government to arrest immigrants when they are released from custody, and then hold them while an immigration court decides if they will be deported.
Tuesday's case, brought by a group of mostly green card holders, argued unless those convicted were taken within a day of being released, they should be entitled to a hearing where they could argue they were not a danger to the community and were not likely to flee.
The American Civil Liberties Union represented the immigrants in the case before the Supreme Court. After the ruling, ACLU attorney, Cecillia Wang, said they would call on Congress to clarify the law and would continue to pursue options in court.
Wang also agreed with her clients saying it was an “extreme waste" of taxpayer money to put immigrants, who place no threat, behind bars
The ruling was based on the text of the statute, and Wang said the ACLU will argue the statute, as interpreted by the justices, is unconstitutional.
Now, check these out:
Illinois Supreme Court Rejects Claim Laquan McDonald's Killer Received Illegally Light Sentence
Aussie Teen Who Egged Far-Right Senator Not Charged, Gains Support Of Prime Minister
