Jackson Blasts Supreme Court's 6-3 Green Card Detention Ruling as Rights Erode
Updated
Updated · The Daily Beast · Jun 23
Jackson Blasts Supreme Court's 6-3 Green Card Detention Ruling as Rights Erode
3 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · Jun 23
Summary
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson called the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling a “massive blank check” that lets border agents detain returning green card holders on unproven criminal allegations.
Her dissent said the decision wrongly allows the government to treat lawful permanent residents as applicants for admission first and justify stripping their status only after a later conviction.
The case centered on Muk Choi Lau, a green card holder since 2007, who was paroled into the US after returning from China while under indictment and then targeted for deportation after a counterfeiting conviction.
A Second Circuit ruling had blocked that outcome, but the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration, expanding DHS authority beyond the narrow circumstances usually limiting when returning residents can be denied entry as permanent residents.
With suspicion now enough to detain green card holders, what situations could unexpectedly put their legal status at risk?
Does this ruling create a two-tiered system of justice for citizens versus legal permanent residents?
Supreme Court’s 2025–2026 Decisions Dramatically Broaden Immigration Enforcement Powers and Erode Due Process
Overview
Recent Supreme Court decisions have significantly expanded the government's immigration enforcement powers, especially for agencies like the Department of Homeland Security. These rulings allow broader authority to detain, question, and deport individuals, including lawful permanent residents. A key example is the June 2026 case of Muk Choi Lau, where the Court upheld DHS's efforts to deport a green card holder after a criminal conviction, even years after entry. This shift means more people, even those with legal status, face increased risk of removal and stricter scrutiny, marking a major change in how immigration laws are enforced in the United States.