A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has blocked a cornerstone of President Trump’s border policy by striking down his executive order that would deny asylum to migrants at the southern border. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled that neither the Constitution nor immigration statutes grant the president authority to override asylum procedures established by Congress.
The decision stems from Trump’s January 20 executive order, which labeled the border situation an “invasion” and suspended asylum access. Judge Moss declared that approach unlawful but stayed the injunction until July 16, 2025, giving the administration two weeks to appeal.
Moss acknowledged the pressure on border enforcement—highlighting a backlog of asylum claims and declining illegal crossings—yet emphasized executive decrees cannot bypass Congress. His 128-page opinion rebuked the administration’s reliance on constitutional vesting or invasion clauses to justify asylum restrictions.
Proponents of the ruling, including immigrant-rights organizations and ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt, called the decision a victory for legal protections and congressional authority. The administration defended the policy as necessary for border control, but the ruling marks a significant judicial rebuke.
