A US federal court has ruled that the Trump administration must halt its policy of requiring Central American asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico pending US approval.
The ruling from the San Francisco-based appeals court temporarily upends Mr Trump’s policy
The so-called “Remain in Mexico” policy is touted by supporters as key to reducing illegal migration.
Friday’s decision is expected to be challenged in the US Supreme Court.
In the past year, some 60,000 migrants have been sent back to Mexico.
The border cities where migrants wait for months are suffering from growing crime rates. According to charity Human Rights First, there have been more than 800 reports of kidnapping, rape and other violent crimes against returned migrants.
The policy, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), took effect in January 2019.
It requires migrants entering through the southern border to wait in Mexico as US immigration courts hear their cases.