U.S. Supreme Court rules asylum seekers must be on U.S. soil to apply

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that asylum seekers must be physically present on U.S. soil to qualify as having “arrived in” the country and to apply for asylum. In the case Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, the Court sided with the Trump administration, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to turn back asylum seekers who remain outside U.S. territory.

This ruling effectively revives the “metering policy,” which enables border officials to deny asylum processes to individuals before they enter the country. Dissenting justices, including Sonia Sotomayor, argued that the decision could create incentives for individuals to attempt illegal border crossings, thereby increasing personal risk.