Attorney General Curtis Hill expressed support Friday for a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing enforcement of a Trump administration rule designed to more effectively process migrants seeking asylum in the United States. The rule stipulates that an asylum seeker who has traveled through another nation after leaving their country of origin must, before gaining entry into the United States, show they first have sought protection in that third nation and been denied.
The rule’s stated aim is to identify migrants “who are misusing the asylum system to enter and remain in the United States rather than legitimately seeking urgent protection from persecution or torture.” The rule includes certain safeguards and exceptions to protect the most vulnerable asylum seekers.
Last week, the Supreme Court held that the rule may be enforced while a legal challenge against it is pending. Earlier this month, Indiana signed onto an amicus brief supporting the Trump administration’s rule.
“Indiana has a compelling interest in protecting our state from those who would abuse the asylum process and overrun the system,” Attorney General Hill said. “The Trump administration’s rule makes logical sense in that its aim is to create a safer process for the asylum seekers and U.S. citizens alike.”
