A federal judge just shot down Trump’s latest border stunt

Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has cooled for the moment, a marked contrast to the xenophobic firebreathing he employed leading up to the midterms in the hopes of scaring enough of his base to the polls to push back the blue wave. His racist efforts proved fruitless, and Democrats took back the House in overwhelming numbers.

Now, Judge Jon S. Tigar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California is adding insult to injury for the Trump regime. CNN reports that Judge Tigar has issued an order accusing Trump of trying to single-handedly change immigration laws to suit his own purposes. Accordingly, the judge has temporarily blocked the federal government from denying asylum to migrants crossing the border between ports of entry.

On November 9th, the Trump administration announced a draconian policy targeting undocumented immigrants that claimed immigrants crossing the border at anywhere other than legal checkpoints would be deemed ineligible for asylum. Judge Tigar has ruled against the policy, saying that it “irreconcilably conflicts” with existing law as well as the Congressional intent behind the laws.

“Whatever the scope of the President’s authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden,” wrote Tigar.

The judge also cited concerns that allowing the Trump administration to push this new policy could put asylum seekers at greater risk of violence and harm. Trump’s DHS and DOJ attacked Tigar’s ruling as “absurd,” proving once again that this administration is populated with sniveling sycophants.

Tigar’s ruling will hold until December 19th, when there will be another hearing to decide the future of the policy. While this fight is far from over, this represents a victory worth celebrating for anyone who cares about the lives of innocent people simply seeking better lives. Trump’s hatred and cruelty must be fought tooth and nail at every turn, and Tigar must be commended for making the right decision.

Natalie Dickinson

Natalie is a staff writer for the Washington Press. She graduated from Oberlin College in 2010 and has been freelance blogging and writing for progressive outlets ever since.