A federal judge has halted the implementation of the Biden administration's new rules for asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in Oakland, Calif., deemed the

rules unlawful, as they impose conditions on asylum-seekers that were not intended by Congress.

The asylum rules, which were introduced in May, make it more difficult for migrants to obtain asylum if they enter the United States illegally after passing through Mexico or another country without seeking protection there first.

Judge Tigar stated that "noncitizens who enter between ports of entry, using a manner of entry that Congress expressly intended should not affect access to asylum."

The judge's decision was not unexpected, as he had previously blocked a similar policy during the Trump administration. Immigrant advocates had urged him to do the same in this case.

Tigar granted a 14-day stay on his ruling, providing the Biden administration with an opportunity to appeal before the ruling takes effect.

The number of illegal border crossings significantly declined in May and June following the implementation of the new rule. The Biden administration attributes the drop to the new asylum rules, as well as the use of the CBP One mobile app, which allows migrants to schedule asylum interviews at official ports of entry.

The Biden administration's border policies have also faced legal challenges from Republican-led states, claiming that too many migrants are being released into the country to pursue their asylum claims. Photo by Amyyfory, Wikimedia commons.