Supreme Court cancels arguments in 2 cases linked to Trump immigration policies

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday canceled arguments in two cases concerning the Trump administration's immigration policies in response to requests by the Biden administration.

The new administration asked the high court to remove the cases from the docket after President Joe Biden signed a number executive orders in recent weeks rolling back President Donald Trump's more restrictive efforts along the southern border.

One of the cases -- Mayorkas vs. Innovation Lab Law -- involves the so-called "Remain in Mexico" policy in which migrants seeking asylum in the United States would be required to stay in Mexico while awaiting ruling on their claims.

The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear arguments in the case March 1.

In the Biden administration's request for the arguments to be delayed, Acting Solicitor General Counsel of Record Elizabeth Prelogar said the "Remain in Mexico" program was suspended on Jan. 21 by a memorandum issued by Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary David Pekoske.

The second case -- Biden vs. Sierra Club -- involves the Trump administration's efforts to use $2.5 billion in Defense Department funds to pay for a portion of the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear arguments Feb. 22.

In his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order pausing border wall construction and terminated the national emergency declaration Trump made to fund the project.

The American Civil Liberties Union, a plaintiff in both cases, said Tuesday, in regards to the Biden administration's delay request that it's "a good start that the Biden administration is not rushing to defend Trump's illegal wall in court."

"Trump's wall devastated border communities, the environment and tribal sites," Dror Ladin, senior staff attorney with the ACLU's National Security Project, said in a statement.