Supreme Court conservatives grapple with 'metering' rules in key immigration case

The Supreme Court debated Tuesday whether the government can turn back asylum-seekers attempting to reach a port of entry, a practice that originated in the Obama administration that President Trump now wants the right to potentially restore.

Known as "metering," border officials would turn back migrants before they could physically cross the border. The policy was rescinded several years ago.

The Supreme Court fight turns on the meaning of two words: "arrives in."

Under federal law, a noncitizen who "arrives in" the U.S. has the right to apply for asylum. But migrants who are turned back under metering never leave the Mexican side of the border, so the government argues they don't get a chance to apply.