Washington, Dec 22 (Xinhua/UNB) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request from the Trump administration to begin enforcing a ban on asylum for immigrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
The narrow 5-4 ruling, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with his four more liberal colleagues, left in place lower court rulings that blocked a proclamation by President Donald Trump in November denying asylum to those entering the country from Mexico without going through official border crossings.
Trump has said the proclamation was in response to caravans of Central American migrants making their way to the U.S. border through Mexico.
The administration has said the rule sought to crack down what it called "meritless asylum claims from aliens who place a tremendous burden on our resources."
Critics have seen the move as unlawful and needlessly cruel to asylum seekers.