Ruling Says Immigrants Cannot Be Detained Indefinitely Without Timely Bond Hearing

A Massachusetts judge has changed the rules for immigrants in detention.

The new ruling says immigrants cannot be detained indefinitely without a bond hearing while their immigration cases are pending.

Under federal law, immigrants who commit certain crimes, even if they're living in the country legally, can be deported.

ACLU lawyer Adriana Lafaille says immigration officials have been holding many non-citizens, with no chance to make their case to a judge.

"That's actually very unique that we would have a system by which there's no individual consideration of whether someone actually needs to be detained," Lafaille said.

Under this new order, immigrants must be given a timely bond hearing.

The ACLU says this decision will affect at least 50 immigrants currently in detention.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has no comment at the moment.

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