Judge Halts Trump Asylum Restrictions at Border

Ruling deals blow to policies that sought to limit migrants’ access to protections.

A federal judge has blocked a **Trump** administration policy that prevented migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border from seeking asylum, representing a significant setback for the former president’s border control efforts.

Court Decision

U.S. District Judge **Randolph Moss** issued a sharply worded decision, finding that the administration had exceeded its authority by sidestepping immigration law.

Judge **Moss** stated, “The President cannot adopt an alternative immigration system, which supplants the statutes that Congress has enacted.”

According to data from Syracuse University’s TRAC Reports, immigration court asylum denial rates have increased in recent years, varying widely by court location (TRAC Reports).

Reactions to the Ruling

The ruling has sparked strong reactions from both sides. **Lee Gelernt**, an ACLU attorney, hailed it as “an enormous victory for those fleeing danger and the rule of law,” adding, “The court properly recognized that the president cannot simply ignore laws passed by Congress.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, **Tricia McLaughlin**, referred to **Moss** as a “rogue district judge,” expressing confidence that a higher court would vindicate the administration.

**Stephen Miller**, former White House deputy chief of staff, criticized the ruling in a post on X.

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.

— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) June 19, 2024

**Miller** further posted, “The West will not survive if our sovereignty is not restored,” he added.

Details of the Case

Immigrant rights advocates, including the ACLU, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, and Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, initiated the lawsuit, arguing that the policy endangered lives by preventing individuals from seeking refuge in the U.S.

Judge **Moss** has stayed his decision for 14 days, and the administration is expected to appeal.

The Trump administration had asserted that the president possesses broad authority to suspend the entry of individuals deemed detrimental to U.S. interests, particularly during what it characterized as a national security and public health emergency at the border.