Federal judge gives green light to lawsuit challenging CBP's turnaways of asylum seekers at the border

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A federal judge ruled last week that our lawsuit challenging U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) practice of turning away asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border can proceed. The lawsuit was brought by the Los Angeles and Tijuana-based organization Al Otro Lado, Inc., as well as individual asylum seekers who are collectively represented by CCR, the American Immigration Council, the Southern Poverty Law Center and an international law firm. The complaint challenges CBP’s systematic denial of the right to access the asylum process, forcing individuals fleeing persecution to return to countries where they face grave danger and the risk of death. CBP had asked the court to dismiss the case altogether, which the judge denied in this ruling.

“The ruling puts the Trump Administration on notice that the United States’ brazen dereliction of its domestic and international humanitarian obligations to hear asylum claims will not be tolerated,” said Angelo Guisado, staff attorney at CCR. “Now, our plaintiffs, who bravely took up this legal challenge on behalf of thousands whom CBP also unlawfully turned away at the border, will have the opportunity to be heard in court.”

Federal court dismisses Energy Transfer Partners' lawsuit against Earth First!

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Last week, a federal court dismissed the environmental movement Earth First! from a lawsuit by Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), the corporation behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. One year ago, ETP, aided by President Trump’s law firm, Kasowitz, Benson, Torres, concocted a ludicrous and sprawling lawsuit claiming that Earth First! conspired with Greenpeace and other mainstream environmental organizations to fund a violent terrorist presence and criminal enterprise at the Standing Rock protests, with half a million dollars and proceeds from drug sales.

“Earth First! should have never been named in this far-fetched suit in the first place,” said Pamela Spees, CCR senior staff attorney in a press release. “The court gave ETP ample opportunity to figure out how to sue Earth First! but they couldn’t do it precisely because you can’t sue a movement, idea or philosophy.”