Supreme Court Eliminates Administrative Closure, Ending Biden-Era Immigration Rule

The Supreme Court has quietly cleared the path for a deal between Texas and the Department of Justice that kills a Biden-era immigration rule. There were no dissents noted. The ruling takes effect immediately, leaving in place a lower court decision that stripped away the practice of "administrative closure." That procedure allowed immigration judges to pause deportation proceedings when migrants were pursuing other forms of relief in federal court.

This wasn't a surprise to everyone watching the legal battlefield. Texas sued the federal government back in June, claiming the 2024 rule lacked proper legal authority. The DOJ joined forces with the state, asking the judge to vacate the rule and block any future attempts to adopt similar measures. Critics immediately pointed to what they called a backdoor collusion between opposing parties.

District Judge Reed O’Connor, a George W. Bush appointee, granted that request on the same day it was made. The speed of the decision fueled accusations that the two sides were working in tandem to dismantle a protection that had existed for decades.

Opposition didn't stop there. In August, three cities with significant immigrant populations stepped in. Baltimore, Maryland; New Haven, Connecticut; and Columbus, Ohio joined forces with Centro Legal de la Raza. They sought to intervene in the case to defend the rule on appeal. Their argument was blunt: removing the closure procedure would lead to more deportations, hurting local tax revenues and giving them standing to challenge the deal. O’Connor rejected that claim.

The fight moved to the highest court on October 9. The cities and their legal ally asked the Supreme Court to block the lower court's judgment while their appeal proceeded. They accused Texas and the federal government of "egregious collusion." Federal lawyers countered that the cities lacked standing because they hadn't shown a concrete injury required for federal courts to hear their claims.

Now, with the Supreme Court allowing the agreement to stand, the practical impact is immediate and severe for vulnerable populations. The cities and Centro Legal de la Raza expressed deep disappointment in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. They argued the administration is dismantling longstanding court procedures through this deal with Texas.

For decades, these procedures let judges pause deportation cases for people pursuing lawful immigration relief. That includes survivors of violence, abused and neglected children, and victims or witnesses cooperating with law enforcement. Eliminating those protections puts at-risk individuals in greater danger of deportation. It also undermines public safety in communities across the country. This is a significant shift that could reshape how immigration courts operate nationwide, leaving fewer safeguards for those navigating the legal system.