Judge orders Biden administration to stop expelling migrant families using public health order
The Biden administration has just been blocked from using a public health order to expel migrant families.
Judge Emmet Sullivan on Thursday barred the administration from expelling migrant families at the border under Title 42, CBS News and CNN report. Given the "the wide availability of testing, vaccines, and other minimization measures," Sullivan said the court wasn't "convinced that the transmission of COVID-19 during border processing cannot be significantly mitigated."
The Biden administration had previously been criticized for continuing the policy from former President Donald Trump's administration. As American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Lee Gelernt argued, "We do not believe that the Delta variant is a basis for expelling people without a hearing," per NPR. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) also argued the "harmful" policy had been "weaponized to deny families their fundamental right to seek asylum." The Biden administration exempted unaccompanied children from the policy, CBS News notes, and the judge said in the ruling Thursday that "the government has successfully implemented mitigation measures with regard to processing unaccompanied minors in order to minimize risk of COVID-19 transmission."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The judge's order doesn't take effect for two weeks, but CNN described this ruling as a "major defeat for the administration." The director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, Omar Jadwat, celebrated the decision, telling CBS, "President Biden should have ended this cruel and lawless policy long ago, and the court was correct to reject it today."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
A growing iodine deficiency could bring back America's goiter
Under the Radar Ailment is back thanks to complacency, changing diets and a lack of public-health education
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 10, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - civic duty, uncertain waters, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 ladylike cartoons about women's role in the election
Cartoons Artists take on the political gender gap, Lady Liberty, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Fed cuts rates, chair says he won't quit if Trump asks
Speed Read Jerome Powell was noncommittal on future rate cuts that were expected before Trump won the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'The problem with deliverism is that it presumes voters will notice'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Judge revives plea deal for 9/11 suspects
Speed Read A military judge has ruled to restore the plea deals struck by 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-conspirators
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris concedes as world prepares for Trump's return
Speed Read Vice President Kamala Harris told supporters it was important to 'accept the results of this election'
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Abortion rights measures go 7 for 10
Speed Read Constitutional amendments to protect abortion passed in seven states but failed in three others: Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Netanyahu fires defense minister, sparking protests
Speed Read Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu have clashed for years. The Israeli prime minister first tried to fire the defense minister in 2023, but backed off following a public outcry.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump wins, GOP flips Senate, House a tossup
Speed Read The Republican candidate flipped back the swing states he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court to resolve Louisiana gerrymander
Speed Read The court will hear a case challenging the second majority-Black district in the state
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published