The U.S. Supreme Court granted a significant victory to former President Donald Trump on Thursday, opening the door for his administration to potentially revive a controversial immigration policy aimed at managing asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. In a separate ruling, the Court also allowed the Trump administration to revoke humanitarian status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants, putting them at risk of deportation.
In a 6-3 decision, the justices overturned a lower court ruling that had blocked the implementation of measures limiting the number of asylum requests accepted daily, a practice initially instituted during Barack Obama’s presidency and later expanded under Trump. Supporters of the policy argued it was necessary to manage the increasing number of asylum seekers at the border, while critics claimed it exacerbated humanitarian crises by forcing many into unsafe temporary shelters.
Although the policy, known as “metering,” is currently not in effect, federal authorities have imposed other restrictions on asylum seekers. The Trump administration argued that metering is an essential tool used by presidents from both parties and should remain an option. Federal prosecutors noted that those turned away at the border might return later, despite long lines of thousands waiting during the policy’s previous enforcement.
The case is part of several ongoing immigration-related lawsuits, including Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirmed the federal government’s authority to turn away asylum seekers when border officials determine the entry points are overwhelmed.
Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the majority opinion, stated that individuals stopped on the Mexican side of the border do not count as having “arrived” in the United States. In his opinion, Alito clarified that common language would not define someone’s arrival at a location until they physically entered it.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting, warned that the ruling would lead to more deaths, as people would attempt to cross the border illegally or face violence due to their backgrounds. Sotomayor’s dissent highlighted the potential dangers posed by restricting access to asylum for those in need.
In another immigration ruling on the same day, the Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to withdraw temporary protected status for over 350,000 Haitian immigrants and approximately 6,100 from Syria, which had previously shielded them from deportation. James Percival, the legal counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, praised the ruling, stating it provides an important tool for ensuring southern border security.
The Supreme Court has previously sided with Trump on several immigration-related emergency rulings since he returned to office, including allowing the expulsion of migrants to countries other than their own and revoking temporary legal status for Venezuelan immigrants. The Court is expected to rule on the legality of Trump’s directive restricting birthright citizenship by the end of June.
