Bipartisan Group of Former Government Officials Argue Turnback Policy is Contrary to Law and Flouts Country’s Commitments

February 20, 2026

Litigation:

en español abajo

A bipartisan group of former high-ranking government officials has submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Noem v. Al Otro Lado, opposing the Trump administration's denial of the right of asylum seekers to apply for asylum at the southern border of the United States. This so-called turnback policy – which was implemented during President Trump’s first term – instructed officials to turn away people arriving at the border without giving them an opportunity to access the asylum process, a clear violation of both domestic law and international treaty obligations.

The group, including former officials in the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, State, Justice, Health and Human Services, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and the National Security Council, have spent their careers dedicated to ensuring that the U.S. government adheres to its international and domestic commitments to provide humanitarian protections to the world’s refugees.

In the filing, the amici, who have extensive firsthand experience and expertise on U.S. immigration policy and practice, underscore the illegal and unworkable nature of the government’s extreme and unprecedented position.

The amici state, “while amici may differ in their views on the wisdom and effectiveness of certain policies implemented at the Southern border, all agree that the government’s extraordinary turnback policy at issue here is contrary to U.S. law and flouts our country’s most profound values and international commitments.”

Amici argue that, based on their collective experience over the course of four decades and at least six presidential administrations, the U.S. government has consistently balanced its obligations to faithfully determine eligibility for admission at the border with the equally important obligation to ensure that people who arrive at the border seeking protection receive access to a fair legal process.

A full list of the amici curiae, who are represented by Raymond P. Tolentino, Alexander J. Kasner and Elissa R. Lowenthal of Cooley LLP, is below:

Scott Busby

Senior Advisor, Human Rights First
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (2013-2023)
White House National Security Council, director of human rights and refugee issues (2009-2010, 1997-2000)
Policy Director, U.S. State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (2001-2005)
Associate General Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (1995-1997)
U.S. Asylum Officer (1991-1992)

Phyllis Coven

Fellow, Harvard University Advanced Leadership Institute
Ombudsman, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2021-2023)
District Director, Los Angeles and New York, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2012-2017)
Director of International Affairs, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (1995-1998)
Deputy Associate U.S. Attorney General (1993-1995)

Mary Giovagnoli

Ombudsman for Unaccompanied Children, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2024-2025)
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Immigration Policy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2015-2017)
Senior Advisor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2005-2008)
Associate Chief Counsel, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2003-2005)
Associate/Assistant General Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (1997-2003)

Harold Hongju Koh

Sterling Professor of International Law and former Dean, Yale Law School
Legal Advisor, U.S. State Department (2009-2013; 2021)
Assistant Secretary of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State (1998-2001)
Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel (1983-1985)

Yvette LaGonterie

Adjunct Lecturer, City University of New York, Baruch College
Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of International Affairs (2010)
Director of International Operations, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2009)
Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2004-2006)
Deputy Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of International Affairs (2003-2004)
Deputy Director, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Office of International Affairs (2000-2003)
Regional Attache for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Embassy Mexico City (1996-1999)
Director, New York Asylum Office (1994-1996)
Immigration Office Director, U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, Mexico (1990-1994)

Joseph E. Langlois

District Director, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, U.S. Embassy Rome (2017-2020)
Associate/Deputy Associate Director, Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2011-2017)
Director/Deputy Director, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Asylum Division (1997-2003)
Director, Newark Asylum Office (1995-1997)
U.S. Asylum Officer/Supervisory Asylum Officer, San Francisco Asylum Office (1991-1995)

Michael H. Posner

Jerome Kohlberg Chair in Ethics and Finance & Director, Center for Business and Human Rights, New York University Stern School of Business
Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State (2009-2013)
President (2007-2009) and Executive Director (1978-2007), Human Rights First

Grover Joseph Rees

United States Ambassador, retired
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, U.S. Department of State (2008-2009)
General Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (1991-1993)

Anne Richard

Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, U.S. Department of State (2012-2017)

Marta Rothwarf

Associate General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Justice Department (2003-2026)
U.S. Asylum Officer (1994-2003)

Joanna Ruppel

Chief, Refugee and International Operations Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2017-2023)
Chief, Refugee Affairs Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2016)
Chief, International Operations Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2008-2015)
Deputy Chief, Asylum Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2003-2007)
U.S. Asylum Officer/Supervisory Asylum Officer (1992-2003)

Eric Schwartz

Professor of Public Affairs and Global Policy Chair, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. State Department (2009-2011)
Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director, White House National Security Council (1996-2001)
Director, White House National Security Council (1993-1996)

Barbara Strack

Chief, Refugee Affairs Division, Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2005-2018)
Acting Executive Associate Commissioner, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Office of Policy & Planning (2000-2001)
Special Assistant to Executive Associate Commissioner, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Office of Policy & Planning (1995-2000)

Grupo bipartidista de ex funcionarios del gobierno sostiene que la política de rechazo en la frontera es contraria a la ley y vulnera los compromisos del país

20 de febrero de 2026

Un grupo bipartidista de ex altos funcionarios del gobierno ha presentado un escrito de amicus curiae ante la Corte Suprema en el caso Noem v. Al Otro Lado, en oposición a la negación por parte de la administración Trump del derecho de los solicitantes de asilo a presentar sus solicitudes en la frontera sur de Estados Unidos. Esta llamada política de rechazo, implementada durante el primer mandato del presidente Trump, instruía a funcionarios a retornar a las personas que llegaban a la frontera sin darles la oportunidad de acceder al proceso de asilo, en clara violación tanto de la legislación nacional como de las obligaciones derivadas de tratados internacionales.

El grupo incluye a ex funcionarios de los Departamentos de Seguridad Nacional, Estado, Justicia, Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos, el Servicio de Inmigración y Naturalización (INS, por sus siglas en inglés), y el Consejo de Seguridad Nacional. Sus integrantes han dedicado sus carreras a garantizar que el gobierno de los EE. UU. cumpla con sus compromisos internacionales y nacionales de brindar protección humanitaria a los refugiados del mundo.

En el escrito, los amici curiae (amigos de la corte), quienes cuentan con amplia experiencia directa y conocimiento especializado en materia de política y práctica migratoria en los Estados Unidos, subrayan el carácter ilegal e inviable de la postura extrema y sin precedentes del gobierno.

Los amici curiae señalan: “si bien los amici pueden diferir en sus opiniones sobre la conveniencia y la eficacia de ciertas políticas implementadas en la frontera sur, todos coinciden en que la extraordinaria política de rechazos del gobierno en cuestión aquí es contraria a la ley estadounidense y vulnera los valores más profundos de nuestro país y sus compromisos internacionales”.

El grupo argumenta que, con base en su experiencia colectiva a lo largo de cuatro décadas y al menos seis administraciones presidenciales, el gobierno de EE. UU. ha equilibrado de manera consistente su obligación de determinar fielmente la elegibilidad para la admisión en la frontera con la obligación igualmente importante de garantizar que las personas que llegan a la frontera en busca de protección tengan acceso a un proceso legal justo.

A continuación se presenta una lista completa de los amici curiae, representados por Raymond P. Tolentino, Alexander J. Kasner y Elissa R. Lowenthal de Cooley LLP: