The Supreme Court handed the Trump administration a major win this fall, backing its immigration enforcement strategy and giving ICE broad leeway to carry out raids, detentions, and removals. In a 6–3 decision, the Court shut down what administration officials called a “de facto amnesty,” overturning lower-court limits that had stalled enforcement efforts in states like California.
Trump allies, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, hailed the ruling as a turning point—one that reins in activist judges and restores federal authority over immigration policy.
For Trump, the decision went beyond immigration—it was a clear endorsement of executive power. Courts had previously stepped in to restrict ICE tactics, including limits on the use of force during operations amid protests.
The Supreme Court’s ruling swept aside many of those barriers, a move supporters say protects law enforcement and restores order. Critics, however, warn the decision weakens safeguards against abuse, raising concerns about civil liberties, due process, and conditions inside detention facilities. While legal challenges continue, the ruling gives the administration new momentum—and ensures immigration will remain a defining, and divisive, issue in American politics.