The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a 6‑3 decision supporting the Trump administration’s “metering” policy that sends asylum seekers back before they reach the U.S.–Mexico border. The ruling affirms a practice that began a decade ago and was formalized in a 2018 memorandum, allowing Customs and Border Patrol agents to turn away non‑citizens lacking valid travel documents.
The case, Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, was brought by immigrant‑rights group Al Otro Lado, Inc. and 13 asylum seekers who argued that being turned away still counted as “arriving” in the United States. The 9th Circuit had agreed, but the Court reversed that view. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito said the phrase “arrives in the United States” carries its ordinary meaning and that Congress did not intend to include attempted entry.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, warned that the decision will likely increase deaths and illegal crossings. The judgment leaves the metering practice intact, and future battles may focus on congressional action or new legal challenges.