In a significant setback for humanitarian protections, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on June 25, 2026, in the case of Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, allowing the federal government to physically turn away asylum seekers at ports of entry. The decision reverses lower court rulings that had found the 'turnback' or 'metering' policies illegal under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The Court's majority concluded that an individual only "arrives in" the United States when they physically cross the border line onto U.S. soil. Therefore, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers standing at the physical boundary line can legally block access to the ports of entry, preventing individuals from setting foot on U.S. soil to begin the asylum process. This ruling effectively legalizes the practice of leaving asylum seekers stranded in Mexican border towns while they await processing.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a strong dissent, argued that this interpretation creates a "perverse incentive to enter at an unlawful location" by blocking access to official ports of entry. For those tracking visa updates and immigration news 2026, this represents one of the most restrictive U.S. immigration policy changes regarding asylum in recent history, fundamentally altering how individuals fleeing persecution can seek safety in the United States.