A federal judge is refusing to block Trump from enforcing a new restriction on asylum that forces migrants to apply for asylum in a country they are passing through before they get to the US:
AP – A federal judge says the Trump administration can enforce its new restrictions on asylum for people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border while lawsuits challenging the policy play out.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington has refused to grant a temporary restraining order. Another hearing on a similar suit is scheduled later Wednesday in California.
Kelly says the immigrant advocacy groups that sued didn’t prove that their work would be “irreparably harmed” if the policy went into effect.
The proposal prevents most migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S. if they passed through another country first.
Well this is a rare victory for Trump so early in a lawsuit.
But don’t get too cozy. The rule was also challenged in San Francisco and the federal judge there has a history of blocking Trump policies. That ruling will come later today.
In case you are wondering, Kelly was appointed by Trump and confirmed in 2017. The federal judge in San Francisco, Judge Tigar, who will rule later today, was an Obama appointee.