(Trends Wide) — A federal judge blocked the possibility of the Biden administration expelling immigrant families detained at the U.S.-Mexico border under a public health order, according to a ruling issued Thursday, marking a major defeat for government.
The order won’t go into effect for 14 days. The Biden administration has relied on the public health order linked to the pandemic to turn away adults and families detained at the southern border of the United States. Unaccompanied children are still exempt from this policy.
In August, more than 70,000 migrant families were allowed in, while some 16,000 were expelled, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
