Former U.S. President Donald Trump has faced another setback regarding his immigration policies, as a federal judge on Wednesday (02.06.2025) suspended the implementation of an executive proclamation signed by Trump aimed at banning asylum applications from individuals who entered the U.S. illegally across the Mexican border. The ban was included in a declaration issued by Trump on January 20th — the first day of his second term — where he described the situation at the southern border as an ‘invasion’ due to the large influx of migrants seeking entry into the United States.
However, a federal judge in the capital ruled that ‘nothing in the Immigration and Nationality Act, or the Constitution, grants the president or his agents the sweeping powers claimed in the proclamation and its implementing guidance.’
The court’s decision followed a lawsuit filed by 13 individuals who fled persecution in Afghanistan, Ecuador, Cuba, Egypt, Brazil, Turkey, and Peru, as well as three NGOs advocating for immigrant rights. Six of the plaintiffs had already been deported under the presidential order, the judge noted.
In the ruling, the judge acknowledged that ‘the executive branch faces enormous challenges in preventing illegal entries into the U.S. and processing the overwhelming number of pending asylum claims.’ Nevertheless, he insisted that only the Immigration and Nationality Act governs deportation decisions and procedures.
The judge granted a two-week delay before the ruling takes effect, allowing the Trump administration time to file an appeal. He also clarified that the decision does not apply retroactively and is limited to those who have not yet been deported.
Trump, who has made curbing illegal immigration a top priority, continues to frame the issue as a national crisis involving a flood of ‘foreign criminals’ entering the country, often amplified by sympathetic media outlets. However, his plans for mass deportations of ‘millions’ continue to be stalled or blocked by judicial rulings citing due process and constitutional protections.