States move to keep court from lifting Trump asylum policy

By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of conservative-leaning states is trying to keep in place a Trump-era public health rule that allows many asylum seekers to be turned away at the southern U.S. border. Late Monday, the 15 states moved to intervene in legal proceedings surrounding the public health rule referred to as Title 42. The rule uses emergency authority to allow the United States to keep migrants from seeking asylum at the border, based on the need to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It’s set to end on December 21, potentially upending border enforcement. The states argue they’ll suffer “irreparable harm” if Title 42 ends. Immigrant rights’ groups have argued that the use of Title 42 unjustly harms people fleeing persecution.