Overview
- The Supreme Court issued two 6–3 rulings on Thursday, June 25, 2026, holding that people turned away before crossing the border do not ‘‘arrive’’ for asylum purposes and that courts largely cannot review DHS decisions to end Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria.
- By finding that an asylum seeker standing in Mexico has not ‘‘arrived in the United States,’’ the court legally permits Customs and Border Protection to revive or expand ‘‘metering,’’ a practice that can block people from seeking inspection at ports of entry.
- The TPS ruling paves the way for DHS to end protections for roughly 350,000 Haitian and about 6,000 Syrian recipients and reduces courts’ ability to halt those terminations on procedural grounds, while leaving constitutional claims for further challenge.
- Earlier rulings this week built on the shift: on June 23 the court lowered the evidentiary standard for treating returning lawful permanent residents as applicants for admission, and a June 24 appeals-court panel cleared a fast-track deportation program, together strengthening executive removal tools.
- Implementation and effects are immediate and contested: advocates warn of heightened danger for asylum seekers and legal limbo for TPS holders, states and employers face operational uncertainty, and further litigation and congressional responses are expected.