Supreme Court overturns Trump-era border policy

The Supreme Court ruled the Biden administration can terminate the Trump administration’s “Migrant Protection Protocols,” also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program, which required asylum seekers at the U.S. border to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed. 

The justices, in a 5-4 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, overturned a federal appeals court decision requiring the Biden administration to restart the policy after the Republican-led states sued to maintain the program. 

Former President Donald Trump instituted the policy in 2019 to deter migrants from applying for asylum. President Joe Biden then attempted to end the policy on his first day in office. Texas and Missouri sued over the policy ending and a Texas federal judge ordered the policy be reinstated.

The Biden administration’s two efforts to rescind the program were blocked by the courts, which led to the dispute, Biden v. Texas, being appealed to the Supreme Court.