# US courts strained after 16,000 detention lawsuits in a year 2026-08-10T21:51:16+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A Reuters report reveals that US federal judges have ruled against the Trump administration's immigration detention policies over 16,000 times in the past year. The surge followed a memo by acting ICE Director Todd Lyons in July 2025, expanding mandatory detention to include long-term residents with no criminal record. This has overwhelmed courts, with Texas judge Fred Biery's district netting 675 habeas petitions in May alone, compared to just four in all of 2021. The practice of transferring detainees between states complicates legal filings. Six federal appeals courts have ruled against the administration, while two have supported it, creating a split likely headed to the Supreme Court. ICE continues to ramp up arrests, and lawyers warn the system is unsustainable. Oklahoma attorney Kelli Stump told Reuters: "We can't continue this madness." The administration defends its actions as lawful enforcement of pre-existing statutes. ## Coverage - livemint.com Tags: federal courts, habeas corpus, ICE detention, legal challenges, Trump administration, US immigration Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/us-courts-strained-after-16000-detention-lawsuits-in-a-year/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/us-courts-strained-after-16000-detention-lawsuits-in-a-year/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.