A United States federal appeals court has ruled that Donald Trump cannot block migrants from applying for asylum at the southern border, dealing a setback to one of his administration’s key immigration policies.
In a decision delivered on Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld an earlier ruling that found the policy unlawful.
The court said the president overstepped his authority by trying to deny asylum to migrants who crossed into the country outside official entry points.
The judges made it clear that U.S. law allows anyone physically present in the country to seek asylum, regardless of how they arrived.
“Congress did not intend to give the executive such sweeping powers,” the court said, adding that any changes to the asylum system must come from lawmakers, not the White House.
The case traces back to a ruling last year by District Judge Randolph Moss, who sided with immigrant rights groups and asylum seekers who challenged the policy. He found that the move violated the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Trump had made immigration enforcement a central part of his campaign, promising to deport millions of undocumented migrants.
Since returning to office, his administration has pushed ahead with stricter border controls and faster deportations.
But several of those measures have run into legal hurdles, with courts raising concerns about whether they respect migrants’ rights under U.S. law.
This latest ruling reinforces that limit, underscoring that asylum access cannot be restricted by executive action alone.
