Judge Blocks Trump Asylum Rule

The Primary: U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar issued a nationwide order that blocks the Trump administration from forcing immigrants who do not first seek asylum in the countries they pass through to get to the U.S.

• Who? What? Why?: The Supreme Court is already deliberating over whether or not the policy can be enforced. While Attorney General Barr has argued that the use of national injunctions has prevented the government from effectively regulating immigration, the Justice Department has maintained focus on the larger issue at hand, saying the ruling highlights the need for quickly resolving the immigration issue as a whole.

• The Baseline: The dispute began early this summer when the Trump administration announced a new policy that would deny asylum for those who did not first seek it elsewhere. The original policy was a reversal of the longstanding tradition that the U.S. was a safe haven for any and all seeking asylum.