Daniel H. Weiss

Beyond Buenrostro-Mendez: The Fifth Circuit Completes New Framework for Mandatory Immigration Detention

The Fifth Circuit’s recent decisions in Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi and Sosnava-Rodriguez v. Ortega fundamentally reshape immigration detention law within Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This article analyzes how the two decisions fit together, explains the constitutional significance of the Fifth Circuit’s newly imposed 90-day limit on mandatory detention without individualized review, and explores what these rulings mean for litigants, immigration judges, and the Department of Justice going forward.

July 10, 2026 Daniel H. Weiss

New DOJ Rule Makes Immigration Judge Decisions Final in Most Cases

A significant regulatory change by the U.S. Department of Justice is quietly reshaping how immigration decisions become final within the nation’s removal adjudication system. Under a new rule, most appeals from immigration judge decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals will no longer receive routine appellate review. The rule has immediate relevance for Texas practitioners, courts, and policymakers.

February 23, 2026 Daniel H. Weiss