The U.S. Supreme Court sided with President Donald Trump’s administration in a landmark case regarding the executive branch’s authority to initiate deportation proceedings against immigrants with legal permanent residency.
The decision, approved by a vote of six to three, concerns the case of Muk Choi Lau, a Chinese citizen who obtained permanent residency in 2007 and was subsequently placed in deportation proceedings after facing a criminal charge for counterfeiting clothing in 2012.
According to the case, Lau temporarily left the United States before his trial.
Upon his return to the country, immigration authorities did not readmit him as a permanent resident, but instead allowed him to enter on probation due to the pending charges against him.
Later, Lau pleaded guilty to the charge of forgery.
Following that conviction, the U.S. government initiated deportation proceedings, based on the immigration classification under which he had entered the country.
They allow Trump to deport permanent residents
Who is affected by the Supreme Court ruling that allows border agents to turn away permanent residents? https://t.co/euS3L91nP3
– N+ UNIVISION (@nmasunivision) June 23, 2026
In his lawsuit, Lau argued that the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent who placed him on probation had exceeded his authority.
His main argument was that, when he returned to the United States, he was facing only one charge and had not yet been convicted.
However, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court rejected that argument.
In the opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that border officials were not required to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that Lau had already committed a crime at the time of his return to the country.
Concerns About the Scope of the Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in a 6-3 decision, that the Department of Homeland Security has the authority to revoke the legal permanent resident status of individuals who leave the country while facing pending criminal charges. pic.twitter.com/ANVjraRplU
— Yenny Pérez Ramírez (@LaYiyiPerez) June 23, 2026
The decision prompted a strong warning from the court’s liberal wing.
In her dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson expressed concern about the impact of the ruling and noted that it could give the government broad discretion to revoke immigration protections for permanent residents.
Critics of the decision say the case could have significant consequences for immigrants with Green Cards who are facing legal problems or criminal proceedings, even when their status is still in dispute.
Another victory for Trump on immigration
In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Homeland Security may revoke a person’s legal permanent resident status if they leave the United States while facing pending criminal charges, even without a conviction.… pic.twitter.com/9ulKGBak5B
— Direto da América (@DiretoDaAmerica) June 23, 2026
The ruling marks another victory for the Trump administration on immigration issues.
Also on Tuesday, an appeals court allowed the government to expand expedited deportations nationwide, a measure that is generally applied to immigrants detained near the southern border.
With these decisions, the Trump administration’s immigration policy is once again at the center of the national debate, especially among immigrant advocates who are warning of potential risks to permanent residents and individuals with pending legal proceedings.
Filed under: Permanent residents, deportation, Trump