A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s policy, aimed at denying asylum to people who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, should not be allowed to take effect. Asylum is a protection for people fleeing danger or persecution in their home countries.
The administration was trying to limit migrants’ ability to claim legal protection under asylum laws.
On behalf of organizations and affected migrants, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in February challenging Trump’s asylum ban, claiming it was too sweeping and violated both U.S. and international law.
Judge says administration overstepped legal authority
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss strongly criticized the Trump administration in his written opinion Wednesday and decided that the Trump administration went beyond the legal limits of its power.
“The court concludes that neither the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act) nor the Constitution grants the president or the agency defendants authority to replace the comprehensive rules and procedures set forth in the INA and the governing regulations with an extra-statutory, extraregulatory regime for repatriating or removing individuals from the United States, without an opportunity to apply for asylum or withholding of removal and without complying with the regulations governing CAT protection,” Judge Moss wrote in his opinion.
Impact on Trump’s immigration agenda
Judge Moss’s decision could delay the president’s immigration efforts, as he campaigned on promises to limit immigration and enforce tough border policies. Since Trump’s inauguration, fewer people have been caught crossing the border illegally, reaching historically low numbers.
White House responds
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller criticized the ruling.
“To try to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling on nationwide injunctions a Marxist judge has declared that all potential FUTURE illegal aliens on foreign soil (eg a large portion of planet Earth) are part of a protected global ‘class’ entitled to admission into the United States,” Miller said in a post on X.
Temporary stay allows for appeal
Judge Moss’s ruling will be delayed for 14 days, allowing the Trump administration time to file an expected appeal.
