US Supreme Court Set to Review Border Asylum Policy Limitations in High-Profile Case
In a significant development, the US Supreme Court has agreed to review a key Trump-era asylum policy that limited the processing of claims at ports of entry along the US-Mexico border. The case centers on the "metering" policy, under which border officials were allowed to stop asylum seekers and decline to process their claims when capacity was reached.
The court's decision comes amid controversy over the Biden administration's efforts to rescind this policy, which was formalized by Trump in 2018. Under the current rules, migrants who are stopped on the Mexican side of the border may be turned away without being inspected or having a chance to apply for asylum, sparking widespread criticism.
At the heart of the dispute is the question of whether asylum seekers who are stopped at the border have "arrived" in the US, and therefore are entitled to claim asylum. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2022 that federal law requires border agents to inspect all asylum seekers who arrive at designated crossings, even if they haven't yet entered the country.
The Trump administration has argued that the words "arrive" should be interpreted more broadly, encompassing not just entry into the US but also coming close to it. However, opponents of the policy contend that this reading is too narrow and undermines the fundamental right to seek asylum in the US.
If the Supreme Court ultimately upholds the lower court's ruling, it could have significant implications for migrants seeking refuge at the border. The decision comes as part of a broader pattern of challenges to Trump-era policies from the Biden administration, which has sought to reverse many of his immigration-related actions.
The court is expected to issue its ruling by June 2024, marking another key turning point in the ongoing debate over asylum policy and migration at the US-Mexico border.
In a significant development, the US Supreme Court has agreed to review a key Trump-era asylum policy that limited the processing of claims at ports of entry along the US-Mexico border. The case centers on the "metering" policy, under which border officials were allowed to stop asylum seekers and decline to process their claims when capacity was reached.
The court's decision comes amid controversy over the Biden administration's efforts to rescind this policy, which was formalized by Trump in 2018. Under the current rules, migrants who are stopped on the Mexican side of the border may be turned away without being inspected or having a chance to apply for asylum, sparking widespread criticism.
At the heart of the dispute is the question of whether asylum seekers who are stopped at the border have "arrived" in the US, and therefore are entitled to claim asylum. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2022 that federal law requires border agents to inspect all asylum seekers who arrive at designated crossings, even if they haven't yet entered the country.
The Trump administration has argued that the words "arrive" should be interpreted more broadly, encompassing not just entry into the US but also coming close to it. However, opponents of the policy contend that this reading is too narrow and undermines the fundamental right to seek asylum in the US.
If the Supreme Court ultimately upholds the lower court's ruling, it could have significant implications for migrants seeking refuge at the border. The decision comes as part of a broader pattern of challenges to Trump-era policies from the Biden administration, which has sought to reverse many of his immigration-related actions.
The court is expected to issue its ruling by June 2024, marking another key turning point in the ongoing debate over asylum policy and migration at the US-Mexico border.