COURT/DHS/IMMIGRATION/JEFF SESSIONS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LAWSUIT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A federal judge in Washington on Wednesday [12-19-18] ruled that the Trump administration violated federal law by barring migrants from qualifying for asylum in the U.S. based on their fears from domestic abuse or gang violence in their home countries, the second judicial rebuke to the administration’s efforts to limit asylum in as many months. Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced new rules in June that required U.S. officials to deny those applications for asylum and place the applicants into expedited deportation proceedings. Attorneys filed a lawsuit on behalf of a dozen foreigners facing deportation as a result of those rules, arguing that the new guidelines represent an ‘evisceration of asylum protections for the most vulnerable immigrants fleeing horrific persecution.’ On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan agreed, issuing a permanent injunction against the departments of Homeland Security and Justice, forcing them to abide by the old rules. The judge ruled that restricting asylum to those victims was a clear ‘violation of the immigration laws’ and ordered the administration to reverse course.”
–Alan Gomez, “Federal judge blocks another attempt by Trump to limit asylum,” USA Today, December 19, 2018 9:35 pm