Biden’s Department of Justice faced harsh criticism from a federal appeals court judge, who accused them of colluding with the ACLU and immigrant rights advocates to undermine a critical asylum policy. According to The Washington Times, Judge Lawrence VanDyke slammed the Biden team for trying to sidestep a Supreme Court hearing that could potentially reverse years of migrant-friendly rulings from the notoriously liberal 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
A federal appeals court judge berated the Biden administration on Wednesday for seemingly underhanded legal tactics in a key immigration case, accusing the Justice Department of "colluding" with the ACLU and other immigrant rights advocates to… https://t.co/g6u8FaFgTy
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) February 22, 2024
The contentious case revolves around a last-year asylum policy aimed at tightening rules on who qualifies for protection. This policy requires asylum seekers to have pursued asylum in another country before entering the U.S.
Immigrant rights groups, including the ACLU, opposed this policy and launched lawsuits to halt its implementation.
Initially, the Biden administration staunchly defended the policy, arguing that overturning it would lead to an overwhelming influx of migrants at the border. However, they later reversed course and aligned themselves with the activists, seeking to delay the case while negotiating a settlement.
Judge VanDyke, appointed by Trump, dissented from the majority opinion, condemning the administration’s tactics as an attempt to manipulate the legal system for political gain. He suggested that the administration may be colluding with activists to advance their agenda of promoting illegal immigration while avoiding accountability.
Senator Marco Rubio previously criticized the Biden administration’s border policies, blaming them for the surge in illegal immigration.
VanDyke raised concerns about the administration’s motives, questioning why they would seek a settlement when they appeared poised to prevail in court. He warned that the Biden administration’s actions ultimately undermine the rule of law and jeopardize the interests of law-abiding American citizens.