In the latest immigration news, a new asylum restriction has been challenged in federal court. The policy, implemented by the Biden administration, allows Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to immediately expel migrants back to Mexico or their home countries without giving them a chance to seek asylum in the United States.
The policy was implemented under Title 42, a public health order that was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow for the quick expulsion of individuals who might be carrying the virus. However, the order has been criticized by immigrant rights advocates for denying due process and putting vulnerable individuals in danger.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit challenging the policy in federal court in Washington, D.C. The suit argues that the policy violates both U.S. law and international treaties by denying asylum seekers their legal right to seek protection in the United States.
The lawsuit also claims that the policy puts individuals in danger by forcing them to return to countries where they may face persecution or violence. It argues that the policy is being used as a pretext to implement a long-standing goal of the previous administration to severely restrict asylum at the southern border.
The ACLU is joined in the suit by several other organizations, including the Texas Civil Rights Project and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES).
The Biden administration has defended the policy, arguing that it is necessary to protect public health during the pandemic. However, immigrant rights advocates argue that the policy is being used as a pretext to deny vulnerable individuals their legal right to seek asylum in the United States.
The outcome of the lawsuit remains to be seen, but it is clear that the policy has already had a significant impact on asylum seekers at the southern border. As the legal battle continues, immigrant rights advocates will continue to fight for the rights of those seeking asylum in the United States.