A rule ordered by President Donald Trump aiming to severely limit the ability of Central American migrants to claim asylum in the United States that went into effect a day before Joe Biden entered the White House has been blocked by a federal judge in California, CNN reported Tuesday.
Judge Jon Tigar wrote he was blocking the measure, which barred migrants who have resided in or traveled through third countries from seeking asylum in the U.S., because it "deprives vulnerable asylum applicants of essential procedural safeguards designed to avoid arbitrary denials of asylum."
Tigar continued, in addition, "rather than ensure their safety, the rule increases the risk asylum applicants will be subjected to violence."
The judge also said former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, who stepped down from the role early last month, lacked the authority to issue the final rule.
Biden, who vowed to reverse Trump's hardline policies, has called for a gradual review of immigration regulations issued under his predecessor, making it unlikely the Justice Department in his administration will try to defend the previous president's rule.
The Biden administration announced Tuesday this Friday it will start processing cases of certain eligible asylum seekers that were subject to a policy in the Trump presidency that forced them to wait in Mexico until their immigration court date in the U.S.