Coryn Johnson ’24 of the Minnesota Habeas Project Participates in National Convergence for Democracy Panel

In August, Coryn Johnson ’24, staff attorney for the Minnesota Habeas Project, joined Hanne Sandison from The Advocates for Human Rights and Cory Cochrane with the Twin Cities Habeas Collective for a panel discussion on “Immigration Defense, Habeas Corpus, and Rapid Response Advocacy” at the National Convergence for Democracy at the Convention Center in Minneapolis.

The panel brought together lawyers and community advocates from across the country to discuss immigration detention, the expansion of federal detention authority, and rapid-response legal advocacy.  

The panel discussed how U.S. immigration law allows—and often requires—the detention of noncitizens. This legal authority has rapidly expanded over the past year, driven by the executive branch’s reinterpretation of decades-old law. During Operation Metro Surge, ICE agents illegally detained countless Minnesotans without warrants and in violation of their constitutional due process rights – a practice that continues today.  

Panelists examined how habeas corpus petitions have been used in Minnesota to challenge unlawful immigration detention and secure the release of individuals detained by ICE. Drawing on Minnesota’s strong network of legal and community advocates, attorneys have filed habeas petitions in multiple federal district courts, helping many detained individuals regain their freedom. At the same time, the panel emphasized that habeas corpus is not a long-term solution to the broader legal framework underlying immigration detention.

The discussion concluded with a call for both continued rapid-response advocacy and substantive policy change. As immigration enforcement continues to evolve, habeas corpus remains an important tool for challenging unlawful detention, while advocates work toward lasting changes to the policies and laws governing immigration detention.