Supreme Court Rules Against Green Card Holder in Deportation Case

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, joined by the court's two other liberal justices. She wrote that the decision to put Lau on immigration parole effectively sentenced him to "immigration limbo" before any conviction. "I worry that the Court has now handed the Government a massive blank check," she wrote.

The ruling arrives as the court weighs several other immigration cases tied to President Donald Trump's broader crackdown, though this case began before he took office. The administration argued that suspicion of a crime is sufficient to place a green card holder on immigration parole, and urged the court to take an expansive view of executive authority over immigration.

The court is also considering cases over Trump's push to end birthright citizenship, potentially revive a restrictive asylum policy, and end temporary legal protections for migrants fleeing war and natural disasters.

For green card holders, the decision lowers the bar for the government to begin removal proceedings. A lawful permanent resident can now be placed on immigration parole based on an accusation alone, without a conviction or clear evidence of a crime involving moral turpitude. The practical effect is that more green card holders accused of crimes will face deportation before their criminal cases are resolved.