Trump Administration Sues All 15 Maryland Federal Judges Over 48-Hour Deportation Pause and Automatic Injunctions

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and all 15 of its federal judges over a standing order that temporarily blocks the immediate deportation of detained immigrants who file habeas corpus petitions challenging their removals. The order, issued in May by Chief Judge George L. Russell III, requires a 48-hour pause on deportations after such legal challenges are filed.

The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security argue that this automatic injunction practice unlawfully hinders the government's ability to enforce immigration laws and expedite deportations. This legal action marks an unusual and escalated confrontation between the Trump administration and the federal judiciary, with the administration directly suing the judges themselves. Legal experts have noted that the move raises concerns about judicial independence. The lawsuit specifically targets the Maryland federal district court judges for issuing what the administration calls automatic injunctions that delay deportations, including those of criminal aliens. The case is part of the broader Trump administration effort to accelerate immigration enforcement and deportations.