US Supreme Court paves way for government to block asylum seekers at border | Donald Trump News
Supreme Court Allows Turning Away Asylum Seekers at Border
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that government officials may turn away asylum seekers at the southern border with Mexico if they have not yet set foot on U.S. soil. The decision enables the Trump administration to reinstate a controversial policy known as “metering,” under which immigration agents physically prevent asylum seekers from entering the country.
The ruling, which emerged from a 6-3 vote that split along ideological lines, overturns a lower court’s finding that deemed the “metering” practice illegal. The Trump administration had appealed that decision as part of its strict approach to immigration.
In the majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito cited the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which allows those who “arrive in the United States” to apply for asylum and mandates inspection by federal immigration officials. Alito concluded that an individual standing in Mexico does not qualify as “arrived” in the U.S. and is therefore not entitled to asylum processes.
“To decide otherwise would unduly expand the scope of the INA,” Ailto wrote.
The court’s ruling has raised concerns among rights groups, who argue that the practice undermines domestic law that grants asylum-seeking rights to all individuals arriving in the country. Critics emphasize that preventing people from seeking asylum tends to push them toward more dangerous routes.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by two other liberal justices in dissent, criticized the majority’s ruling, describing it as a method for the executive branch to circumvent established legal protections for asylum seekers. Sotomayor stressed the potential for harm to individuals fleeing persecution, stating that individuals could be turned away even when they present themselves at designated ports of entry.
The practice of metering predates the Trump administration; former President Barack Obama implemented similar policies during a spike in border crossings in 2016. Trump formalized metering, enabling agents to deny asylum claims when they assessed that their resources were insufficient for processing.
The Biden administration ended the practice in 2021 but has faced legal challenges related to asylum processing.
In a separate ruling on the same day, the Supreme Court also cleared the way for the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians living in the U.S. TPS is granted to individuals from countries deemed unsafe due to armed conflict, political instability, or natural disasters. The majority opinion highlighted that current U.S. law limits judicial review of government decisions regarding TPS.
Justice Alito wrote against a lower court’s conclusion that the Trump administration’s actions regarding Haitians could have been motivated by “racial animus,” referencing comments made by Trump during his presidential campaign.
