红杏视频

WASHINGTON 鈥� A federal court today blocked President Trump鈥檚 proclamation aimed at completely shutting down asylum at the border.

The 红杏视频, National Immigrant Justice Center, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS), Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP), 红杏视频 of the District of Columbia, and 红杏视频 of Texas brought the federal lawsuit on behalf of Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, and the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, which provide legal services to asylum seekers, and a nationwide class of people barred from seeking protection in the United States under this proclamation.

The court rejected the administration鈥檚 efforts to use the 鈥�212(f)鈥� proclamation, which falsely cited an 鈥渋nvasion鈥� as justification to deny asylum protections expressly granted by Congress and summarily deport families and individuals to countries where they are at grave risk of persecution with no recourse.

The groups successfully argued that Trump鈥檚 action ignored protections put in place by Congress (and backed by the courts for generations) that ensure people have the opportunity to have their asylum claims heard. This proclamation is even more extreme than Trump鈥檚 previous attempts to shut off asylum in his first administration, as this move leaves no avenue open for people to seek asylum.

鈥淭his is a hugely important decision. Not only will it save the lives of families fleeing grave danger, it reaffirms that the president cannot ignore the laws Congress has passed and the most basic premise of our country鈥檚 separation of powers,鈥� said 红杏视频 attorney Lee Gelernt, who argued the merits of the case.

鈥淲e are grateful that the federal courts continue to agree with us that the right to seek asylum is a fundamental protection provided by Congress and ingrained in U.S. law for decades. No president has the authority to unilaterally block people who come to our border seeking safety. The courts have repeatedly sided with us on this issue, and we will continue to fight cruel policies, under any administration, that harm individuals and families who flee persecution,鈥� said Keren Zwick, director of litigation at the National Immigrant Justice Center.

鈥淭his decision is a win for human dignity and the rule of law. It sends a clear message: the government cannot use cruelty as a weapon against people fleeing violence. The court鈥檚 blocking of the Trump administration鈥檚 executive action underscores the inhumane and unlawful nature of this policy and strengthens our call to protect the right to seek asylum. The Texas Civil Rights Project will continue fighting for the rights of those seeking safety at our border,鈥� said Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project.

鈥淲e are grateful that today the court refused to accept the administration鈥檚 reckless disregard for the legal right to seek asylum. Every day that the United States fails to uphold its asylum process puts women, children, and families fleeing violence at risk of exploitation and serious harm,鈥� said Jennifer Babaie, director of advocacy and legal services of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center.

鈥淲e are pleased that the court has ruled in favor of people seeking protection at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Trump administration鈥檚 invocation of a 212(f) proclamation to block all access to asylum is blatantly xenophobic. Both U.S. and international law are clear 鈥� people have the right to seek protection at the border. We are grateful that the court has recognized this right and demand that the Trump administration comply and restart processing at the border immediately,鈥� said Laura St. John, the legal director for the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project.

鈥淎s the court rightly affirmed today, the Trump administration cannot rewrite our immigration laws and invent its own extra-statutory system to block people from exercising their rights,鈥� said Edith Sang眉eza, senior staff attorney at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS). 鈥淯nder our laws, any person seeking safety at our southern border has a legal right to apply for asylum. The government cannot wield racist, baseless claims of an 鈥榠nvasion鈥� to demonize refugees and unilaterally strip them of that right. For over six months, the illegal border proclamation has wrought nothing but suffering and chaos, forcing people fleeing persecution back to peril and leaving others stuck in detention, struggling to navigate a made-up process. The administration should now comply with the court鈥檚 order and immediately reinstate a fair asylum process at the southern border.鈥�

鈥淭oday鈥檚 ruling makes clear three salient points that transcend immigration at the border and speak to who we are as Americans. First, we are a nation of laws. Second, the Trump administration鈥檚 sweeping invocation of executive branch authority transgresses the bounds established by our Constitution and our legislative branch. And third, the judicial branch is what stands between us and anarchy. The Trump administration's prerogative is once again found to be unlawful. It is increasingly clear where the illegality lies, and it is not with the immigrant families upon whom this administration is inflicting unfathomable harm,鈥� said Javier Hidalgo, legal director at RAICES.

鈥淔ederal law unequivocally guarantees the right of refugees to seek asylum and the right not to be returned to face torture. President Trump鈥檚 attempt to eliminate these life-or-death rights with the swipe of a pen and under false pretenses had no legal basis, as the court today made clear,鈥� said Arthur Spitzer, senior counsel at the 红杏视频 of the District of Columbia.

鈥淭he court rejected the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to upend our asylum system in a key ruling for our nation,鈥� said Adriana Pi帽on, legal director for the 红杏视频 of Texas. 鈥淭his attempt to completely shut down the border is an attack on the fundamental and longstanding right to seek safety in the U.S. from violence and persecution.鈥�

The case was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

The ruling is here.