Letter: The Level of Incompetence Is Unacceptable

Letter: The level of incompetence is unacceptable

The first time I appreciated the actual meaning of habeas corpus was many, many years ago. There was a rumor someone I knew had been arrested. I don’t remember if this was a state or federal arrest, but I found a number and found out the person was in custody. I wasn’t sure if they would even tell me, but in the moment it impressed me that in this country we don’t have secret arrests. I knew habeas corpus translates as “you have the body” but I …

Debates over presidential power to suspend habeas corpus resurface in Trump administration

There's a conflict brewing over the rights of the arrested and detained; it's not a new conflict. busra İspir, iStock/Getty Images PlusThe principle of habeas corpus, a legal phrase, is a simple one: Translated from the Latin as “produce the body,” it provides that a judge may compel prosecutors to supply evidence to determine whether someone has been legally detained or arrested. In the U.S., a detained or arrested individual, or their legal re…

What is Habeas Corpus? Why Does It Matter?

The Trump administration floated an idea in recent weeks: suspending habeas corpus. Why? Because over and over again—including in the American Civil Liberties Union’s challenge against President Donald Trump’s illegal use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport people without due process—courts hearing habeas corpus cases have stopped the administration from carrying out massive violations of people’s constitutional rights. To get around this obstacl…