Courts continue to block Trump on immigration
WASHINGTON — Federal courts are proving to be an increasingly formidable obstacle to President Trump implementing the hardline antiimmigration polices he touted in the lead-up to the midterm elections.
Late Monday night a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the Trump administration from denying asylum requests to anyone not entering the country at a port of entry, ruling that it directly contradicted federal law.
Trump’s move to limit asylum claims — aimed directly at the Central American migrants making their way to the southern border — was part of his campaign to paint the group as a danger to American security.
But that argument didn’t convince San Franciscobased federal Judge Jon S. Tiger, who said Trump stepped outside his lane.
“Whatever the scope of the President’s authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden,” Tiger wrote, noting that federal law expressly permits asylum claims regardless of the manner of entry.
The Trump administration shot back in a joint statement from Homeland Security and the Justice Departments.
“Our asylum system is broken, and it is being abused by tens of thousands of meritless claims every year,” the statement said. “We look forward to continuing to defend the Executive Branch’s legitimate and well-reasoned exercise of its authority to address the crisis at our southern border.”
This is only the beginning of this legal battle. Courts are still considering whether to impose a longer-term halt on Trump’s policy.
Challengers to the policy vowed to keep up the fight.
It “raises the alarm about President Trump’s disregard for separation of powers,” said Lee Gelernt, an attorney for the ACLU, one of several groups that brought the suit. “There is no justifiable reason to flatly deny people the right to apply for asylum, and we cannot send them back to danger based on the manner of their entry. Congress has been clear on this point for decades.”
It’s also not the only immigration-related legal fight. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court ruled that Trump cannot end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, despite issuing an order to do just that.
The outcome of these challenges will help shape the 2020 races and the president’s message about his agenda and the courts.