Why an 800-year-old legal tool is under scrutiny in immigration law

Habeas corpus is at the center of a constitutional fight over immigration detention playing out in courtrooms across the Midwest, including here in Iowa. An analysis by The Marshall Project and The Midwest Newsroom found that habeas corpus filings in four Midwestern states have been overwhelmingly successful thus far, but the legal landscape is changing. We hear from the reporters involved in the recent investigation and from a law professor about what comes next. Then, researchers hope to expand water testing capabilities with a drone that carries its own water-testing lab.

You can listen to Why an 800-year-old legal tool is under scrutiny in immigration law online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why an 800-year-old legal tool is under scrutiny in immigration law is an episode from River to River by Iowa Public Radio.

This episode is 48:02 long.

This episode was published on Jun 2, 2026.

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