The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Jan. 12 that the government may not indefinitely detain criminals who are illegal immigrants.

The ruling goes against a Bush administration policy applied to foreigners considered too dangerous to be freed, the Associated Press reported.

In a separate ruling the court said the U.S. can deport immigrants without first getting permission from the receiving country.

The reported said the 5-4 ruling is likely to speed up the return of thousands of Somalis who have been reluctant to go back to their war-ravaged country.

The detention case involved two men who were part of a 1980 exodus under which Cuban President Fidel Castro sent criminals and psychiatric patients to the U.S. along with those fleeing the country for political reasons.