The US Supreme Court on Friday denied a request by the Trump administration to enforce new asylum rules.

The new immigration rule, made via Presidential Proclamation November 9, sought to immediately deny asylum to migrants who illegally cross the southern border into the US.

In Trump’s applicatinn for the Supreme Court to stay the Ninth Circuit’s decision, White House Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued that the new rules were “designed to channel asylum seekers to ports of entry, where their claims can be processed in an orderly manner; deter unlawful and dangerous border crossings; and reduce the backlog of meritless asylum claims.”

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh indicated they would grant the application for a stay.

The high court’s denial means a November district court decision and the subsequent Ninth Circuit decision upholding it will stand. President Donald Trump was highly critical of the district court’s original decision, and Chief Justice John Roberts released a statement shortly thereafter condemning Trump’s criticism.