WASHINGTON—Yesterday, in a technical case with large ramifications, the United States Supreme Court ruled that an alien’s 30-day deadline for seeking judicial review of his final order of removal began to run when the federal government reached a final determination that the alien was removable from the United States, not when, much later, he was found ineligible for withholding or deferral of removal. The Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) had filed a brief with the Court in support of the former interpretation of the law.
The Court’s decision will increase the efficiency and speed of the legal process of removal, by preventing aliens who have already been ordered removed from prolonging their presence in the United States with protracted appeals.
“The efficiency of the removal process is particularly important now, when our government, under Trump, is taking its duty to enforce the law and remove illegal aliens seriously,” said Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of IRLI. “So we are pleased the Court effectuated Congress’s intent to keep judicial review of final removal orders on a strict timeline, thus thwarting anti-borders activists’ attempt to cripple the removal process through delay.”
The case is Riley v. Bondi, No. 23-1270 (Supreme Court).
