Supreme Court Leaves Baltimore's Deportation Case Request Unheard

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear an appeal from the city of Baltimore and two other municipalities that sought to defend a federal immigration regulation. The cities, along with Columbus, Ohio, New Haven, Connecticut, and the legal group Centro Legal de la Raza, asked the justices to take the case after a lower judge refused their request to intervene.

At issue is a rule from the Biden administration that let immigration judges pause deportation cases through a process called administrative closure. Baltimore and the other cities argued that this practice helped crime victims and neglected juveniles remain in the country. Texas sued to stop the practice, claiming it allowed people to stay indefinitely. Texas and the Trump administration later agreed to a court order blocking the regulation.

The cities, represented by Democracy Forward, told the court that Texas and the federal government worked together to permanently block the rule. They argued this settlement bypassed the public rulemaking process required by law. The Justice Department urged the justices to deny the appeal, stating the cities lacked legal standing and had not shown immediate legal harm.

The Supreme Court did not issue a written explanation for its decision to turn down the request. The order leaves the lower court ruling in place, which blocks the regulation. The case involved the court's handling of administrative closure in immigration proceedings across the country.