Over the past four years, the administration has released a series of rules restricting asylum, making it nearly impossible for asylum seekers to grant their claims. Friday’s mandate blocks the implementation of one of the regulations, which was introduced last summer and finalized in December.
Donato became the youngest judge to overturn Wolf’s appointment, saying in his ruling: “This court is now the fifth federal court asked to plow the same ground over Wolf’s authority not to change immigration regulations.”
He later added: “In fact, the government collided with the same car in a gate in the hope that it might one day break through.”
Under the rule, an individual’s asylum claim may be subject to greater investigation if the person travels through at least one country while on his way to the USA but does not seek refuge there.
The Trump administration has applied a similar rule to migrants traveling from Latin America through Mexico, but the latest rule would increase the number of people who may fall under the restrictions, with a few exceptions, such as a victim of human trafficking .
The regulation also says that living illegally in the US for more than a year before applying for asylum will become a ‘significant detrimental factor’, despite the current exceptions. Similarly, failure to file taxes or to have a criminal conviction may count against the asylum claim of an individual.
This story has been updated with more details.
CNN’s Caroline Kelly contributed to this report.