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Supreme Court says U.S. can turn away asylum seekers at the border

NPR • June 25, 2026 • general

Key Points:

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the U.S. government can prevent asylum seekers from physically entering the country, thereby blocking their ability to apply for asylum.
This decision reverses lower court rulings that had blocked such policies, which were initially attempted by the Obama administration but struck down for violating federal asylum laws.
The Trump administration argued that the policy is necessary to manage border surges and prevent overcrowding, a position the Supreme Court ultimately supported.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote that asylum seekers turned away at the border have not "arrived in" the U.S., so the legal protections for asylum applicants do not apply until physical entry is made.