Legal groups have argued that a judge should prevent the Trump administration from enforcing its ban on asylum for anyone who illegally crosses the US-Mexico border. US District Judge Jon S. Tigar did not immediately rule on whether to issue a temporary restraining order during a hearing in San Francisco. The request was made by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights, which quickly sued after President Donald Trump issued the ban this month in response to the caravans of migrants that have started to arrive at the US-Mexico border.

Trump issued a proclamation on November 9 that said anyone who crossed the southern border would be ineligible for asylum. The regulations, which will remain in place for three months absent a court order, could potentially make it harder for thousands of people who enter the US to avoid deportation. "Individuals are entitled to asylum if they cross between ports of entry," said Baher Azmy, a lawyer for the Center for Constitutional Rights.