washington divide u.s. supreme court struggle wednesday resolve dispute whether immigrants detain u.s. government six months deportation proceed take place able seek release case take additional importance expectation president-elect donald trump ramp immigration enforcement place people detention await deportation take office jan. 20 pledge election campaign one-hour argument court four liberals appear support require immigrants hold six months automatically eligible hear could argue freedom deportation case unfold conservative justices skeptical shorthanded court could head toward another 4-4 deadlock divide along ideological line 4-4 split would leave place october 2015 rule san francisco-based 9th u.s. circuit court appeal uphold lower-court injunction require hear six months detention justices potentially could issue narrow decision send case back low court without resolve question whether hear require obama administration ask justices decide case say hear permit certain instance oppose blanket rule require long-running class action litigation bring american civil liberties union include immigrants hold border seek illegal entry unite state others include legal permanent residents convict crimes case also could affect long-term u.s. residents enter country illegally liberal justices assert hear require order meet u.s. constitution promise due process lock people without find dangerousness without find flight risk indefinite period time run due process say justice elena kagan upend world think 14 months 19 months reasonable time detain person add justice sonia sotomayor conservatives include chief justice john roberts say court ask decide whether immigration laws question require hear whether potential constitutional violation case would litigate low court issue reach justices roberts say lead plaintiff alejandro rodriguez legal immigrant mexico work dental assistant detain three years without hear rodriguez place removal proceed base prior convictions drug possession joyride although release eventually case bring behalf continue supreme court divide immigration detention dispute