The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to unfreeze a Biden-era policy that allowed immigration judges to use their discretion to temporarily close deportation cases for immigrants.

The regulation, known as administrative closure, gives immigration judges discretion to temporarily pause deportation proceedings for migrants while the migrants seek humanitarian protections or other forms of legal status in the country.

This decision means the policy, which was previously in place, will not be restored, leaving immigration judges with less flexibility in managing their caseloads. The Biden administration had sought to reinstate this policy, which aimed to provide a mechanism for clearing backlogs and offering relief in specific circumstances.

Administrative closure allowed judges to suspend deportation cases when an immigrant had a viable path to legal status or when pursuing such a path would be more efficient than continuing removal proceedings. This tool was seen by proponents as a way to manage the complex immigration court system more effectively.

The Supreme Court's refusal to intervene effectively allows a lower court's decision to stand, which had previously blocked the reinstatement of the policy. The specifics of the legal challenges that led to the policy's initial freeze were not detailed in the provided material.

Immigration courts have long struggled with immense backlogs, and the ability to administratively close cases was viewed by some judges and advocates as a practical measure to address this issue. The absence of this option may lead to prolonged proceedings for some individuals.

Experts have noted that the court's decision has significant implications for the administration of immigration law, potentially impacting thousands of cases. The future of managing the immigration court docket without this discretionary tool remains a key question.

This development underscores the ongoing legal battles and policy shifts surrounding immigration enforcement and judicial discretion within the U.S. immigration system.