Judge Blocks White House's Asylum Policy

A US judge in San Francisco has blocked the Trump administration's policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico as they wait for a court to hear their cases, but the order won't immediately go into effect. Judge Richard Seeborg on Monday granted a request by civil liberties groups to halt the practice while their lawsuit moves forward. The decision is on hold until Friday to give US officials the chance to appeal, the AP reports. CNN calls the judge's order "a major blow to the administration."

The groups say the policy violates US law by failing to adequately evaluate the dangers that migrants face in Mexico. President Trump's administration says the policy responds to a crisis at the southern border that has overwhelmed the ability of immigration officials to detain migrants. The launch of the practice in January marked an unprecedented change to the US asylum system.

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