US Immigrants Trapped in Limbo as ICE Detentions Drag On for Months
US Immigrants Trapped in Limbo as ICE Detentions Drag On for Months
US Immigrants Trapped in Limbo as ICE Detentions Drag On for Months
Thousands of immigrants in the US are being held in detention for months without clear legal resolution. Recent cases highlight delays and harsh conditions, despite a Supreme Court ruling limiting such detentions to six months. Official data from January 2025 shows over 69,000 people in ICE custody, but the exact number detained long-term remains unclear.
In 2001, the Supreme Court ruled that immigrants could not be held indefinitely, setting six months as a reasonable limit. Yet under President Donald Trump's second term, prolonged detentions have surged. By January 2025, ICE held over 70,000 people, with at least 7,252 detained for six months of the year or longer.
Felipe Hernandez Espinosa has spent nearly seven months in detention, despite never being charged with a crime. He first endured 45 days in a Florida holding centre, where detainees reported worms in food and overflowing sewage. For the past five months, he has been at Fort Bliss Army base in Texas, facing equally poor conditions. Desperate to leave, he has signed deportation requests to Nicaragua or Mexico five times—but no action has been taken. His asylum hearing is finally set for February 26, after almost seven months in custody.
Yashael Almonte Mejia, a Dominican asylum-seeker, has been detained for eight months since May 2025, when the government moved to dismiss his case. During this time, he became a father but has never met his daughter in person. He was also denied the chance to attend his sister's funeral.
Another case involves a Mexican man detained in October 2024. Even after winning protection under the UN torture convention in March 2025, he remained in custody for a full year.
ICE's latest data from January 2025 does not specify how many detainees have been held for six months of the year or more. It also lacks details on their countries of origin or reasons for prolonged detention.
The cases of Hernandez, Almonte, and others show how legal delays and administrative hurdles keep immigrants in detention far beyond the six-month cap. With over 7,000 people held long-term as of early 2025, advocates argue the system is failing to follow the Supreme Court's guidelines. No updates have been provided on when these detentions will be reviewed or resolved.