Trump administration hit with second lawsuit over restrictions on asylum access
Immigration advocates filed a class action lawsuit Wednesday over the Trump administration's use of a proclamation that effectively put an end to being able to seek asylum at ports of entry to the United States.
The civil lawsuit was filed in a Southern California federal court by the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, the American Immigration Council, Democracy Forward, and the Center for Constitutional Rights.
The lawsuit is asking the court to find the proclamation unlawful, set aside the policy ending asylum at ports of entry and restore access to the asylum process at ports of entry, including for those who had appointments that were canceled when President Donald Trump took office.
Unlike a similar lawsuit filed in February in a Washington, D.C., federal court representing people who had already reached U.S. soil and sought asylum after crossing between ports of entry, Wednesday's lawsuit focuses on people who are not on U.S. soil and are seeking asylum at ports of entry.
No response was immediately issued by the Department of Homeland Security or Customs and Border Protection, which were both among the defendants listed.
Trump's sweeping proclamation issued on his first day in office changed asylum policies, effectively ending asylum at the border. The proclamation said the screening process created by Congress under the Immigration and Nationality Act 'can be wholly ineffective in the border environment' and was 'leading to the unauthorized entry of innumerable illegal aliens into the United States.'
Immigrant advocates said that under the proclamation noncitizens seeking asylum at a port of entry are asked to present medical and criminal histories, a requirement for the visa process but not for migrants who are often fleeing from immediate danger.
'Nothing in the INA or any other source of law permits Defendants' actions,' the immigrant advocates wrote in their complaint.
Thousands of people who sought asylum through the CBP One app, a system developed under President Joe Biden, had their appointments at ports of entry canceled on Trump's first day in office as part of the proclamation that declared an invasion at the border.
'The Trump administration has taken drastic steps to block access to the asylum process, in flagrant violation of U.S. law,' the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies stated in a news release Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Photos of immigration protests spreading across US as Trump mobilizes National Guard
Protests that sprang up in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids have spread across the country. The Trump administration said it would continue the raids and deportations despite the protests. More demonstrations are planned throughout the U.S. on Saturday to coincide with Trump's planned military parade in Washington. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Nevada GOP governor vetoes voter ID bill that he pushed for in a deal with Democrats
Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo unexpectedly vetoed a bill on Thursday that would have required voters in the swing state to show a photo ID at the polls — a conservative priority across the country and something that has long been on the governor's legislative wish list. The move brings a dramatic end to one of the legislative session's most surprising outcomes: A bipartisan deal that combined the requirement for voter identification with a Democratic-backed measure to add more drop boxes for mail ballots that Lombardo had initially vetoed. The bill came together in the final days of the session and passed mere minutes before the Democratic-controlled Legislature adjourned on June 3. Lombardo had been expected to sign it. The voter ID requirements in the bill mirrored a ballot initiative that Nevada voters overwhelmingly approved last November. But voters would have to pass it again in 2026 to amend the state constitution. The requirement would then be in place by 2028. Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, the Democrat who brokered the deal with Lombardo, said when he introduced the legislation that voters seemed poised to give the final approval, and that enacting a voter ID law would have given the state a head start on ensuring a smooth rollout before the next presidential election. The Associated Press sent phone messages Thursday seeking comment from both Lombardo's spokespeople and Yeager. Voting rights groups condemned the legislation, saying it would have made it harder for some people to vote, including low-income or unhoused voters, people with disabilities and older voters. Barbara Wells, president of the League of Women Voters of Nevada, said the voter ID portion of the bill would "not allow their voices to be heard.' 'In Nevada, security throughout the voting process is so watertight that any deception is extremely rare, yet those who pushed for this bill would have the residents of our state believe otherwise,' Wells said, adding that while it 'was touted as a preventative or cure for voter fraud, it will create significant difficulties for many hard-working Nevadans.' Lombardo on Thursday also vetoed a bill that would have allowed the swing state's nonpartisan voters to cast ballots in Republican or Democratic primary races.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Walmart's attempt to distance company from LA protests after heiress Christy Walton promotes anti-Trump rally
Walmart publicly attempted to distance itself from an heiress to the company's founding family fortune after she promoted an anti-Trump rally, leading many MAGA fans to promise boycotts. Christy Walton is the widow of John T. Walton, who was one of the sons of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart. Walton caused controversy after she placed a full-page ad in the New York Times Sunday calling on Americans to stand up 'against aggression by dictators' and 'mobilize' this upcoming Saturday - the same day the president is set to host a military parade in Washington D.C. The ad left many enraged and offended amid the chaotic anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, with MAGA fans saying they'll never shop at Walmart again, leading the company to release a statement to trying to disavow Walton. 'We condemn violence, including when it's directed towards law enforcement, and the damaging of property,' a spokesman told Fox News Digital. 'As a company with associates and customers in the Los Angeles region, we remain focused on their safety and that of impacted communities. The advertisements from Christy Walton are in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart. She does not serve on the board or play any role in decision making at Walmart.' A spokesperson for Walton said that the ad is asking citizens 'to engage peacefully and civically in next weekend's events on June 14th. It is unrelated to the events we have seen unfold the past several days.' They added that she has not funded any protests in Los Angeles and 'condemns violence in all forms. 'Her message promotes civic engagement, peaceful dialogue, and the sharing of diverse views and voices.' The White House did not mince words when asked for comment on Walton's actions. 'Great, a left-wing billionaire feels like burning some of her inheritance for a PR stunt,' they said. 'It's not going to change the fact that over 77 million Americans voted for mass deportations, border security, and America First trade policies — a mandate that the Trump administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to deliver on.' Republicans have erupted online over Christy Walton's support of the group 'No Kings' - which took to social media several times calling President Donald Trump 's response to the protests 'a distraction' because 'he wants to blind us to the chaos and damage he's inflicting nationwide.' The advertisement, which states it was 'paid for by Christy Walton,' went on to list eight beliefs she supports, including that Americans should 'stand by our allies,' 'uphold and defend the Constitution' and 'care for our veterans and children,' among others. 'We are the people of the United States of America. The honor, dignity, and integrity of our country are not for sale. Our government is of the people, by the people, for the people,' the ad, accompanied by an image of the Statue of Liberty, read. Around the time her advertisement hit the paper, disastrous riots broke out in LA, leading Trump to call on the National Guard and US Marines to take over the growing chaos - sparking an all out fight across the county. In the midst of the media coverage on the protests, 'No Kings' made several posts on X mentioning the violence and how it disagrees with the president's response. One post read: 'THIS IS A DISTRACTION! Trump deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to LA to crush protests is a smokescreen. He wants to blind us to the chaos and damage he's inflicting nationwide. Don't fall for it – he's hiding much worse!' Another showed an illustrated image of Trump appearing to look down on a scene of protesters while holding an 'economic report' and what appeared to be pictures of him and Jeffery Epstein. This has led many Trump supporters to speak out against Walmart on social media. 'Christy Walton from the family who own Walmart is Funding the day of defiance against Donald Trump. Enough is enough do not spend any money at Walmart or you are funding the things that are happening against our federal agents. Walmart is the one or most likely provided the gas masks during the riots,' one user wrote on X. Another wrote: 'Time to boycott Walmart!' 'Boycott Walmart sounds good to me specially how Christy China Walton is hates America and supports burning the United States Flag and likes people harassing ICE and federal employees,' wrote someone else. There are expected to be more than 1,800 events linked to the organization across the country Saturday, a No Kings spokesperson Andrew Cook told Forbes. 'On June 14—Flag Day—President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else,' the group's website states. 'We're not gathering to feed his ego. We're building a movement that leaves him behind. 'The flag doesn't belong to President Trump. It belongs to us. We're not watching history happen. We're making it. 'On June 14th, we're showing up everywhere he isn't—to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings,' it added. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers - one of the organization backing 'No Kings' to organize the anti-Trump protests - told the outlet: 'People from all walks of life support No Kings because our country was founded on the idea that presidents answer to the people – not to authoritarian overreach or violence.' In regard to Walton's ad, a spokesperson for Walton told the ad was a 'personal message' from her to the American people to urge them 'to engage peacefully and civically in next weekend's events on June 14.' 'It is unrelated to the events we have seen unfold the past several days. Christy has provided no funding to organizations or individuals involved in the demonstrations in Los Angeles or other cities, nor has she provided any funding to those organizing the upcoming events. 'Her interest is simply in encouraging people to listen to one another, participate in their communities, and productively engage on the issues they care about,' they added. 'She condemns violence in all forms and continues to emphasize the importance of listening to one another.' This is not the first ad Walton has put out an ad as she posted a similar one in The New York Times in March calling on Americans to engage in the political process. The advert also depicted an image of the Statue of Liberty with the head 'USA, USA, USA' printed near the torch. It then went into calls for action, including: 'We honor our commitments and stand by our allies,' 'We defend against aggression and dictators,' 'We respect our neighbors and trading partners' and 'We uphold and defend the Constitution.' The political ad ends by saying, 'The honor, dignity and integrity of our country is not for sale. Show up, attend your town halls, be civil.'
