Supreme Court clears way for Trump immigration crackdown affecting hundreds of thousands
U.S. Associate Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Jr., Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts look on during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 (Getty)
The Supreme Court issued two rulings allowing the administration to end humanitarian protections for tens of thousands of immigrants and indefinitely block asylum seekers from entering the country.
These 6-3 decisions, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, could significantly alter asylum law and impact over 1 million people legally residing in the U.S.
One ruling permits the government to block asylum seekers if ports of entry are deemed overwhelmed, while the other allows the Department of Homeland Security to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria, affecting 350,000 individuals.
The Court clarified that an immigrant ‘arrives’ in the U.S. only after physically crossing the border, a decision Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned would lead to more deaths and illegal crossings.
The rulings come despite previous court blocks on ending TPS due to concerns of ‘racial animus’ and an anti-immigrant agenda, with lawyers for Haitian immigrants arguing the termination was a predetermined political outcome.
