Judicial Check on the “Alcatraz of the Rockies”

A federal judge has delivered a significant blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to transfer former death row inmates to the nation’s most restrictive prison. On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly—himself a Trump appointee—issued a preliminary injunction blocking the transfer of Rejon Taylor and 20 other inmates to ADX Florence in Colorado.

The ruling offers a sharp rebuke of the administration’s administrative process, which the judge characterized as a “sham.”

The Core of the Ruling

Judge Kelly’s 35-page opinion focused on the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. He concluded that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) failed to provide a meaningful opportunity for inmates to challenge their redesignations.

• Predetermined Outcomes: The judge found evidence that the decision to send these inmates to the “Supermax” was made by high-ranking officials before any individual hearings took place.
• A “Sham” Process: Kelly wrote that while the government has authority over prisoner placement, it cannot employ an “empty exercise” to justify a decision that was already decided.
• Irreparable Harm: The court acknowledged that the extreme isolation at ADX Florence—where prisoners are often kept in cells the size of a parking space with minimal human contact—imposes hardships far beyond standard high-security prisons.

Context of the Controversy

The legal battle stems from a direct clash between the policies of the current and former administrations:

• Biden’s Clemency: In December 2024, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life without parole.
• Trump’s Response: Upon returning to office in January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing that these inmates be housed in conditions matching the “monstrosity of their crimes.”
• The Bondi Directive: Attorney General Pam Bondi explicitly advocated for these transfers, labeling the commutations a “betrayal” of victims’ families and promising that the inmates would spend their lives in Supermax conditions.

What This Means for Rejon Taylor

Rejon Taylor, the lead plaintiff, expressed profound relief at the decision. Taylor has maintained a clean disciplinary record and previously served as a prison orderly, arguing that the transfer was retaliatory rather than based on security needs. For now, he and the other 20 plaintiffs will remain at the Federal Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, while the full lawsuit proceeds.

“It was like the joy of clemency all over again… I can breathe again, I can relax.” — Rejon Taylor

Key Figures in the Case