Federal appeals court restores policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit authorized the U.S. government to continue sending asylum seekers to Mexico, temporarily suspending a previous order by U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg that had blocked the policy.

Judge Seeborg had ruled days earlier that returning aliens seeking asylum to "continuous territories" to await processing of their cases was against immigration law. He stated that the necessary measures were not being taken to protect aliens in Mexico and ordered the government to suspend this practice. The judge delayed his order from taking effect until Friday, April 12, to give the government time to appeal.

The government filed documents arguing that the United States faces "a humanitarian and security crisis" at the southern border and that the policy of returning asylum seekers is necessary.

The federal appeals court ruled in favor of President Trump's administration, temporarily staying Judge Seeborg's order while the government and immigrant advocacy groups next week present new arguments in the appeal process of the case.