Supreme Court upholds bar against Trump’s tougher asylum rules

The US Supreme Court rejected Friday a plea by the government of President Donald Trump to be allowed to apply restrictions on asylum seekers along the southern border, instead upholding a lower court ruling blocking the new rules.

The high court voted 5-4 not to overturn the decision by the district court.

The government asked the high court that it oppose the blocking by the lower court of the new restrictions, which would have meant the enactment of policies rejecting requests for asylum in the US by any immigrants who had not entered their applications at official border checkpoints.

On Nov. 9, Trump ordered at least a 90-day ban on migrants applying for asylum on the southern border if they entered the country illegally.

That same day various groups of human rights defenders filed suit against the government, and later a federal judge handed down the decision to block the new ruling nationwide.

According to the presidential proclamation, the limitation could continue until the signing of an accord with Mexico allowing the US to deport directly to its southern neighbor immigrants who cross the border illegally.

This Thursday the administration introduced a measure along that line, and though no agreement was reached with Mexico, it implies that immigrants will be sent back to Mexican territory if they enter the country in an irregular manner, including those intending to apply for asylum, until their migratory status with the US is resolved.