There’s an obscure legal doctrine known as “adverse possession,” under which a trespasser may claim title to land after open, continuous occupation for a statutorily defined period of years (it varies by state)—but only because property law specifically allows it. There is no equivalent to adverse possession under U.S. immigration law. Long-term illegal presence in the United States does not ripen into a right to stay, bond hearings, or the same due process protections as citizens. The Immigration and Nationality Act sets the rules for entry and detention; time alone does not rewrite them. Neither should the courts, as the Fifth Circuit’s ruling seems to acknowledge.

President Trump said again that I should be put on trial because I deigned to say that if you break the law and abuse taxpayer dollars, you should be held accountable.