DC Circuit Strikes Down Trump's Asylum Suspension; Administration Vows SCOTUS Appeal

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ruled 2-1 that Trump's Inauguration Day executive order suspending asylum at the southern border is unlawful, finding Congress's INA asylum grants cannot be overridden by executive order. The ruling is a significant blow to Trump's immigration agenda; DHS vowed an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court. The same week, the Justice Department's Board of Immigration Appeals issued a precedent decision making it easier to deport DACA recipients, as the administration pursues a dual legal strategy of litigating to expand executive immigration authority while simultaneously tightening immigration court rules.