A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to expand the “expedited removal” process — a fast-track deportation system that allows migrants to be removed without a court hearing.

Previously, expedited removal applied only to migrants apprehended near the US-Mexico border within two weeks of entry. The Trump administration had broadened it to include individuals residing in the United States for up to two years.

US District Judge Jia Cobb ruled that this expansion risked wrongful deportations and violated constitutional due process rights, which guarantee individuals the opportunity to prove their length of stay in the country.

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The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by Make the Road New York, a migrant rights organization. Judge Cobb emphasized that while expedited removals at the border remain intact, protections of due process must apply to all individuals within the US.

This decision is a setback for former President Trump, who had pledged to deport millions of undocumented migrants if re-elected. The judge cited the Constitution, affirming that “no person shall be removed from the United States without opportunity, at some time, to be heard.”