A US appeals court on Thursday suspended, at the request of the Donald Trump government, the release on bail of hundreds of people arrested by immigration police since September in the state of Illinois, especially in the Chicago region.
In September, the Trump administration began an operation by the federal immigration police (ICE) in Illinois, called “Midway Blitz”, directed, according to them, against “criminal illegal immigrants who terrorize Americans” in Illinois (northern) and its main city, Chicago, governed by Democrats.
Last week, a federal judge in Chicago ruled in favor of attorneys representing more than 600 people detained by ICE, challenging the legality of their arrests by saying there were no reasonable grounds for detention and no outstanding warrants.
The ruling indicated that the judge would order the release of approximately 450 of the detainees on Friday, once each posted $1,500 bail and agreed to surveillance measures, such as the use of electronic ankle bracelets.
However, following an appeal filed by the Trump administration, the appeals court suspended the release of the detainees until it rules on the matter, and set a hearing for December 2.
Since his return to the White House in January, Trump has made the fight against illegal immigration an absolute priority for what he considers an “invasion” of the country by “criminals from abroad.”
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