WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump’s proclamation aimed at eliminating asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border is unlawful, delivering a major setback to efforts to unilaterally restrict asylum access and marking a significant development in ongoing legal challenges to federal immigration policy.
According to a press release from the American Civil Liberties Union, the ruling came in RAICES v. Noem, where immigrant rights advocates challenged a Day 1 proclamation issued at the start of Trump’s second term. The policy sought to “completely shut down asylum at the border,” according to the release.
The ACLU said the federal appeals court determined that the proclamation violates existing immigration law by attempting to override protections that guarantee individuals the right to seek asylum in the United States.
The ruling affirms earlier decisions from lower courts that had also blocked the policy. According to the release, the court’s decision reinforces longstanding legal principles that prevent the executive branch from unilaterally dismantling asylum protections established by Congress.
News coverage of the ruling similarly indicates that the court found federal immigration law guarantees individuals the right to apply for asylum and does not grant the president authority to bypass that process.
According to the article, the challenged proclamation was part of a broader effort to restrict migration at the southern border by suspending asylum access entirely. Advocates argued that such a policy would place vulnerable individuals at risk by denying them the opportunity to seek protection from persecution.
“The president does not have the power to overturn decades-old asylum law,” ACLU attorneys argued in related litigation, emphasizing that federal law and international obligations require the U.S. to allow individuals to seek refuge from persecution.
The ACLU release also said immigrant rights organizations brought the lawsuit on behalf of individuals affected by the policy, arguing that shutting down asylum access could expose families and individuals to serious harm if returned to dangerous conditions in their home countries.
The case, RAICES v. Noem, centers on whether the executive branch can invoke emergency authority to suspend asylum protections. According to the press release, the court ultimately rejected that argument, concluding that the proclamation unlawfully circumvented statutory protections for asylum seekers.
The ACLU said the ruling represents a major victory for immigrant rights advocates who have long challenged policies aimed at limiting access to asylum at the border.
Legal experts cited in the article noted that the decision may have broader implications for executive power in immigration policy. The ruling underscores that changes to asylum law must come from Congress, not unilateral presidential action.
According to the press release, the case is part of a broader legal effort to ensure that individuals fleeing violence, persecution and instability retain access to asylum protections under U.S. law. Advocates for the movement argue that eliminating asylum access would not only violate federal law but also undermine humanitarian protections that have long been a cornerstone of U.S. immigration policy.
The decision comes amid an ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement and border policy. News reports indicate the ruling could reopen pathways for asylum seekers, though further legal challenges are expected as the administration considers next steps.
According to the ACLU, the ruling ultimately sends a clear message: federal law protects the right to seek asylum, and executive actions that attempt to eliminate that right entirely cannot stand.
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