US court rejects maintaining COVID-19 asylum restrictions

REYNOSA, Mexico (AP) — An appeals court rejected efforts to keep in place pandemic-related restrictions on immigrants seeking asylum. The court’s decision means the restrictions are still on track to expire on December 21. A group of conservative-leaning states had been pushing to keep the restrictions in place. They can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The asylum restrictions were put in place in March 2020 by former President Donald Trump during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. They essentially allow border officials to quickly turn back potential asylum seekers on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. The policy is often referred to as Title 42 because it comes from Title 42 of a 1944 law covering public health.