The case, decided by the 8th circuit court of appeals, originated out of the Minnesota federal district. It was one of many such habeas corpus cases seeking the release of one or more illegal aliens detained by ICE.
The 2-1 decision by the Eighth Circuit can be read here.
The case originated in August 2025 and is captioned Joaquin Herrera Avila v. Bondi. The appeals court reversed the district court judge’s decision to order the release of the illegal alien from ICE custody.
Since the beginning of 2026, more than 1,100 such cases have been filed in Minnesota, alone.
Politico reports,
The ruling carries particularly acute implications for Minnesota, where federal district judges are bound to follow it. Hundreds of people detained during the recent ICE crackdown in the Twin Cities have filed petitions for release from custody by challenging the administration’s interpretation of the law, and nearly every district judge in the state had sided with the petitioners.
[Note: an earlier version of this post appeared on Power Line.]