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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Supreme Court rejects Trump plea to enforce asylum ban

In this Oct. 5, 2018 photo the U. S. Supreme Court building stands quietly before dawn in Washington. The Supreme Court won't let the Trump administration begin enforcing a ban on asylum for any immigrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border. New Justice Brett Kavanaugh and three other conservative justices sided with the administration. The court's order Friday leaves in place lower court rulings that blocked President Donald Trump's proclamation in November automatically denying asylum to people who enter the country from Mexico without going through official border crossings. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)
In this Oct. 5, 2018 photo the U. S. Supreme Court building stands quietly before dawn in Washington. The Supreme Court won't let the Trump administration begin enforcing a ban on asylum for any immigrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border. New Justice Brett Kavanaugh and three other conservative justices sided with the administration. The court's order Friday leaves in place lower court rulings that blocked President Donald Trump's proclamation in November automatically denying asylum to people who enter the country from Mexico without going through official border crossings. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

WASHINGTON (AP) – A divided Supreme Court won’t let the Trump administration begin enforcing a ban on asylum for any immigrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

Chief Justice John Roberts joined his four more liberal colleagues Friday in ruling against the administration in the very case in which President Donald Trump had derided the “Obama judge” who first blocked the asylum policy.

New Justice Brett Kavanaugh and three other conservative justices sided with the administration.

There were no opinions explaining either side’s votes.

The court’s order leaves in place lower court rulings that blocked Trump’s proclamation in November automatically denying asylum to people who enter the country from Mexico without going through official border crossings.