Immigration advocacy groups, spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have taken legal action against the Trump administration’s ban on asylum access at the southern border. The lawsuit argues that the restrictions, outlined in one of President Trump’s executive orders, endanger individuals fleeing war and persecution by denying them the protections Congress has provided. The complaint was filed in a Washington federal court on behalf of organizations such as the Florence Project, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, and RAICES.

Responding to the lawsuit, the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on pending legislation, while the White House defended the president’s actions as part of efforts to prioritize national security and enforce immigration laws. Trump’s executive order justified the asylum restrictions by labeling the situation at the southern border as an invasion of the U.S., suspending the physical entry of migrants and their ability to seek asylum.

Critics argue that denying asylum seekers their right to request asylum, as established in immigration law, places vulnerable individuals in grave danger. The lawsuit challenges the administration’s assertion of an invasion and accuses it of unlawfully expelling noncitizens without affording them the opportunity to seek legal protection. The groups behind the legal challenge view Trump’s actions as an unprecedented and extreme overreach of presidential power, highlighting the importance of upholding asylum laws and providing a safe haven for those escaping peril.