North Texas ICE detainees could be held without bond despite nonviolent status after court ruling
DALLAS - A recent court ruling means nonviolent ICE detainees could be held without bond, which could affect several high-profile North Texas detention cases.
What we know:
The Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday, Feb. 6 that the federal government can indefinitely detain non-citizens without bond as their immigration process plays out. This ruling would apply to all detainees, including those who are not accused of violent crimes.
The ruling is a continuation of the Trump administration's practice of holding immigrants in mandatory detention until their removal proceedings conclude, even if a judge grants the detainee bail.
Multiple high-profile ICE detentions in North Texas
Local perspective:
This recent ruling could have an effect on efforts to get two people currently in a North Texas ICE facility out of detention.
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Disabled man dies as caretaker father remains in ICE custody in Dallas
Maher Tarabishi says he's been making annual check-ins with ICE since coming here in the 90s. While making one of those check-ins in October, he was detained. ICE has denied requests to allow him to attend his son's funeral.
62-year-old Maher Tarabishi has been in ICE detention at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado since October 2025, when he was detained during a routine check-in at the ICE Field Office in Dallas.
The Jordanian national was the primary caretaker for Wael Tarabishi, his adult disabled son. Wael died at a Mansfield hospital last month.
Tarabishi's daughter-in-law denounced his detainment. "Maher Tarabishi is not a criminal, he is not dangerous, he is a father who has spent his whole life caring for his disabled son," she said previously.
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Supporters demand the release of Palestinian woman held in ICE detention in North Texas
Supporters are demanding the release of Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman detained at a North Texas ICE facility for 10 months following a Columbia University protest.
Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman, was also being held at the Prairieland Detention Facility. Kordia was detained in New Jersey in March 2025 when she mistakenly surrendered her valid student visa as she tried to pursue permanent residency.
Over the weekend, Kordia was reportedly hospitalized due to a seizure. Amnesty International USA accused immigration authorities of stonewalling her supporters and legal advocates.
"Not only have ICE officials neglected Leqaa’s health, but they failed to update her lawyers and family on her health status and whereabouts following her hospitalization. This blatant disregard of Leqaa’s human rights while in custody is appalling," their statement read.
A court ruling that's far from over
What they're saying:
David Coale, a constitutional law attorney, talked FOX 4's Alex Boyer about the court's ruling.
"The court held that ICE not only can, but should detain people who are in the immigration process without allowing a bond," Coale said. "And they did that based on a provision of the immigration code."
Coale said the issue is far from over. He expects the case to end up in front of the Supreme Court.
"The dissenters in that case and most other federal courts that have looked at it have said that, for the last 30 years, Homeland Security has not taken the current position that the government is taking, that you can hold these people without a bond and have kind of held that against the government say now you're saying something different," Coale continued.
What's next:
An ICE spokesperson told Boyer that both Tarabishi and Kordia have been ordered to be removed from the United States.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 4 reporting.