Legal Showdown Over Trump's Asylum Proclamation: Advocates Demand Restoration

In a significant legal challenge, immigration advocates filed a class action lawsuit targeting the Trump administration's controversial proclamation that effectively halted asylum claims at US ports of entry. The suit was lodged in a Southern California federal court by several advocacy groups, including the Centre for Gender & Refugee Studies and the American Immigration Council.

The lawsuit contends that the proclamation contravenes US law, and demands the rescindment of the policy, reinstating the right to seek asylum at the border. This legal move primarily aims to aid those who were denied the chance to apply at ports of entry after their appointments were cancelled upon Trump's inauguration.

Trump's directive, issued on his first day in office, labeled the asylum process as ineffective and claimed it was facilitating unauthorized entries. However, immigration advocates argue that the proclamation unlawfully imposes requirements not stipulated in the Immigration and Nationality Act, thereby barring legitimate asylum seekers from accessing protection.

(With inputs from agencies.)