To suspend habeas corpus means to temporarily remove or halt the legal right that allows a person under arrest to challenge the lawfulness of their detention before a court. Habeas corpus is a fundamental legal procedure that requires authorities to justify a person's imprisonment and prevents unlawful or indefinite detention without trial. When habeas corpus is suspended, detainees cannot use this writ to demand a court review of their imprisonment
. The U.S. Constitution permits suspension of habeas corpus only in extraordinary circumstances-specifically "in cases of rebellion or invasion when the public safety may require it" (Article I, Section 9, Clause 2). This suspension grants broad discretionary power to the executive branch (usually the President) to detain individuals without immediate judicial review, typically during times of national emergency or war
. Historically, the writ was suspended during the American Civil War under the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act of 1863, which authorized President Abraham Lincoln to suspend the writ to preserve public safety during rebellion. During such suspension, military or other officers were not required to produce detainees in response to habeas corpus petitions, effectively allowing detention without the usual court oversight
. In summary, suspending habeas corpus means temporarily removing the right of detainees to challenge their imprisonment in court, usually in response to rebellion, invasion, or threats to public safety, thereby allowing the government to detain individuals without immediate judicial review
