US Supreme Court backs Trump in asylum case, clears way for border 'metering'

The US Supreme Court on Thursday sided with President Donald Trump in a case over how asylum claims are processed at the US-Mexico border, backing the federal government’s authority to turn away asylum seekers when officials decide border crossings are too overburdened to handle additional claims.

In a 6-3 ruling written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, the court reversed a lower court finding that the policy violated federal law. Reuters reported that the administration has said it may seek to revive the policy, known as “metering,” after it was dropped by Joe Biden.

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On the legal definition of 'arrival'

The dispute centered on whether migrants stopped on the Mexican side of the border have “arrived in the United States” for the purposes of asylum law.

Under US law, a migrant who arrives in the United States may apply for asylum and must be inspected by a federal immigration official. Alito said the answer was “no,” writing that ordinary usage does not treat someone as having arrived before entering a place.

The ruling gave legal backing to a practice that allows immigration officers to halt asylum processing at the border and indefinitely decline to process claims when the government says capacity has been exceeded.

The robes were anything but unanimous

The court’s liberal wing strongly dissented. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, said the ruling authorizes immigration officers to refuse to consider asylum applications by physically blocking applicants from stepping onto US soil.

She warned that the decision’s consequences would be severe, saying, “More people will die," and arguing that migrants would be pushed into dangerous conditions and greater risk of violence. Alito then responded from the bench, saying he would have included more in his opinion summary had he known Sotomayor intended to air her dissent in court.

Another feather in Trump's legal cap

The ruling adds to a series of immigration-related victories for Trump at the Supreme Court since his return to office last year.

On Thursday, the court also cleared the way for his administration to strip Temporary Protected Status from more than 350,000 Haitians and about 6,100 Syrians.

In the asylum case, the Department of Homeland Security welcomed the decision, with general counsel James Percival saying it “opens up an important tool to continue securing our southern border.”

Lawyer Melissa Crow, who represented the plaintiffs, said the ruling “should sound the alarm” for anyone who cares about human rights and the rule of law.

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FAQs

Q1: What did the US Supreme Court rule in the Trump asylum processing case?

Ans: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Trump administration can limit asylum processing at the US-Mexico border when officials determine crossings are at capacity.

Q2: What is the border 'metering' policy?

Ans: Border metering is a policy that allows US authorities to delay or turn away asylum seekers at ports of entry when processing capacity is considered full.