Supreme Court will consider Trump's executive order suspending asylum access at the southern border

The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday it will review President Donald Trump's executive order suspending asylum access at the southern border as part of his extensive immigration crackdown. The administration seeks to have lower court rulings that deemed the order unlawful overturned. This case is among several immigration matters currently before the high court.

The Trump administration contends it has the authority to deny asylum to migrants affected by the order and should not be compelled to accept applications that are likely to be rejected. The administration argues that years-long processing times have already led to a surge in migrants at the southern border, many of whom were released into the country while awaiting decisions.

In contrast, immigration advocates with the American Civil Liberties Union and National Immigrant Justice Center argue that border crossings had already decreased before Trump's presidency. They maintain that his executive order is an unlawful attempt to unilaterally eliminate legal protections for individuals fleeing danger in their home countries.

The executive branch is responsible for deciding whether to grant asylum, which should be done on a case-by-case basis. The law does not permit the president to prevent people from applying for asylum. The asylum ban was part of a series of immigration restrictions Trump implemented upon returning to office in 2025. It has remained in place throughout legal challenges.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in the coming months and issue a decision by the end of June. This is the third major immigration case the high court will address this term, along with decisions on whether individuals can be swiftly deported to countries other than their homelands and if immigrants can be detained indefinitely during deportation proceedings.

Another recent asylum case was decided in favor of the administration, allowing the Trump administration to potentially revive a "metering" policy that has been used to turn back immigrants in the past.