In June, the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration, and made it more difficult for immigrants seeking asylum in the United States to appeal their decisions and to speed their subsequent deportation if they are denied the protection.
The opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, claimed that the decision to uphold a law that limits a federal court’s ability to review asylum cases would ease the strain asylum claims put on the immigration system in America.
This decision is based off the case of Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam, a Sri Lankan farmer and member of the Tamil ethnic group. Thuraissigiam sought asylum in the U.S. after he was kidnapped and beaten in a pattern of violence that has traditionally targeted Tamil people. His request was denied and he was deported back to Sri Lanka.
This development comes as the Trump administration has consistently sought to make it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum. This American Life reported about one element: the “Remain In Mexico” policy, which requires those who want asylum to wait in dangerous camps over the border.
Will this decision truly ease the burden on the U.S. immigration system? How will this affect those seeking asylum now? And what’s behind the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail asylum?
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