Judge rules Trump administration can’t block asylum seekers

The Trump administration cannot deny entry to people who cross the U.S. southern border at an unofficial entry point to apply for asylum, a federal district judge ruled on Wednesday. Judge Randolph D. Moss said in a 128-page opinion that President Trump exceeded his authority in his Jan. 20 executive order establishing the policy.

The judge ordered the government to vacate its guidance about asylum applications and to apply the ruling to all asylum seekers within two weeks. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit received the immediate ability to apply for asylum. The two-week period gives the Trump administration time to appeal the ruling before making changes.

Who filed the lawsuit? Thirteen asylum seekers and several immigration legal services organizations brought the case against the Trump administration. The individual plaintiffs said they fled persecution in their home countries, including Afghanistan, Ecuador, Egypt, and Peru, according to court documents. Several of them had already been removed to their home countries or third locations, court documents said.

What other border news came out Wednesday? The Department of Homeland Security said the number of times border agents encountered people attempting to illegally enter the United States dropped in June to an all-time low. The Border Patrol reported 25,243 encounters nationwide—down 89% from the monthly average in 2021-2024, the department said.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on charges against a man involved in a human smuggling scheme that killed four people.