The Supreme Court justices gave a mostly skeptical hearing Tuesday to the Biden administration's bid to repeal a President Trump policy that requires tens of thousands of asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their cases to be heard.
Several of the court's conservatives said they agreed with Texas state lawyers and Trump-appointed judges who ruled that U.S. immigration officials may not allow these migrants to enter this country. They pointed to a provision in the 1996 law that said asylum seekers "shall be detained" while their claims are heard.
Solicitor Gen. Elizabeth B. Prelogar, representing the administration, argued there was "no way" the government could detain so many asylum seekers for months or years. She told the court there were 220,000 migrants at the border in one month last year, but only 32,000 could be held in detention.
She asked the high court to lift orders handed down by a Texas judge and clear the way for repealing Trump's so-called "Remain in Mexico" policy.
Traditionally, the court has given the executive branch broad authority to enforce the immigration laws, including reversing the policies of prior administrations.
But it is not clear the Biden administration will prevail in its plan to repeal Trump's strict immigration policies.
Immigrant rights advocates had argued that Trump's policy was cruel and inhumane. They said it forced tens of thousands of people from Central America to live in squalid conditions subject to violence and abuse. Upon taking office, President Biden said he planned to repeal Trump's policy.
But state lawyers for Texas and Missouri sued and last year won nationwide orders from judges that required the new administration to maintain the prior Trump policy.
In August of last year, the justices by a 6-3 vote refused an emergency appeal seeking to overturn the judge's order. And there was no clear sign during Tuesday's argument the majority will do so now.
The case was Biden vs. Texas, and a ruling will be handed down by late June.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/supreme-court-leans-favor-trump-153908273.html
Several of the court's conservatives said they agreed with Texas state lawyers and Trump-appointed judges who ruled that U.S. immigration officials may not allow these migrants to enter this country. They pointed to a provision in the 1996 law that said asylum seekers "shall be detained" while their claims are heard.
Solicitor Gen. Elizabeth B. Prelogar, representing the administration, argued there was "no way" the government could detain so many asylum seekers for months or years. She told the court there were 220,000 migrants at the border in one month last year, but only 32,000 could be held in detention.
She asked the high court to lift orders handed down by a Texas judge and clear the way for repealing Trump's so-called "Remain in Mexico" policy.
Traditionally, the court has given the executive branch broad authority to enforce the immigration laws, including reversing the policies of prior administrations.
But it is not clear the Biden administration will prevail in its plan to repeal Trump's strict immigration policies.
Immigrant rights advocates had argued that Trump's policy was cruel and inhumane. They said it forced tens of thousands of people from Central America to live in squalid conditions subject to violence and abuse. Upon taking office, President Biden said he planned to repeal Trump's policy.
But state lawyers for Texas and Missouri sued and last year won nationwide orders from judges that required the new administration to maintain the prior Trump policy.
In August of last year, the justices by a 6-3 vote refused an emergency appeal seeking to overturn the judge's order. And there was no clear sign during Tuesday's argument the majority will do so now.
The case was Biden vs. Texas, and a ruling will be handed down by late June.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/supreme-court-leans-favor-trump-153908273.html