While Trump was busy stating that the Democrats were in “shambles” over the Mueller testimony that fully “exonerated” him (it didn’t), you may have missed that he was also trying to restrict migrant’s ability to apply for asylum in the U.S.
The rule, announced by the Justice and Homeland Security this past week, would make asylum-seekers who pass through another country illegally before reaching the U.S. ineligible for asylum. That ruling was put on the record today, but hours after, a Federal Judge in California filed an injunction against the ruling stating that it was “arbitrary and capricious,” noting that asylum seekers will not have “a safe and effective alternative via other countries’ refugee processes.”
According to NBC News:
‘Tigar noted in his order that Congress has already established a “safe third country” rule but that requires an agreement with that other country, as well as determinations about safety and other matters. The U.S. has such an agreement with Canada, but Mexico has said there is no such agreement and Guatemala’s high court blocked a possible agreement, the Associated Press has reported.
“‘Congress has ensured that the United States will remove an asylum applicant to a third country only if that country would be safe for the applicant and the country provides equivalent asylum protections to those offered here. The Rule provides none of these protections,” Tigar wrote.
“‘An injunction would vindicate the public’s interest — which our existing immigration laws clearly articulate — in ensuring that we do not deliver aliens into the hands of their persecutors,” Tigar wrote elsewhere in the order.’
Tigar was quick to also mention that “there’s some pretty tough stuff” in Trump’s original order, and that while “applications are up dramatically” there was no indication that Mexico would be able to handle the volume of asylum-seekers and process all of their claims.
ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt said after Judge Tigar’s injunction ruling:
‘The court recognized, as it did with the first asylum ban, that the Trump administration was attempting an unlawful end run around asylum protections enacted by Congress.’
Judge Tigar said during his ruling that he’s sure we can expect a “quick appeal” by whichever party (Trump’s party) decides this injunction won’t cater to their specific needs.
We’ll keep you updated.
Featured image via screenshot
