Donald Trump Closes Southern Border to Migrants, Asylum Seekers

President Donald Trump has ordered border agencies to quickly return all migrants from Mexican territory, regardless of routine asylum laws, according to the New York Times.

The New York Times, citing information from four administration officials, said:

The Trump administration plans to immediately turn back all asylum seekers and other foreigners attempting to enter the United States from Mexico illegally, saying the nation cannot risk allowing the coronavirus to spread through detention facilities and border patrol agents.

But under the new rule, set to be announced in the next 48 hours, border patrol agents would immediately return anyone to Mexico — without any detainment and without any due process — who attempts to cross the southwestern border between the legal ports of entry. They would not be held for any length of time in an American facility.

The decision reduces the danger that the coronavirus will be brought into ICE detention centers by additional migrants.

Judge rules federal agents must limit tear gas at protests near Portland ICE building

Trump admin sued by New York, New Jersey over Hudson River tunnel funding freeze: ‘See you in court’

Girl, 12, dangles from ski chairlift in California before crashing to ground in terrifying video

White House approves Medal of Honor for fallen Army Staff Sgt Michael Ollis after years-long push

Lawmakers probe National FFA over Chinese Communist Party ties and DEI programs

Mamdani calls on DA to not prosecute mentally ill man shot by police during knife attack

Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Tim Burchett Drop SAVE Act Demands After Meeting with Trump

Trump reacts to NBC host Savannah Guthrie’s mother Nancy’s mysterious abduction

Op-Ed: Trump is a Performer – Let Him Perform

California business group unveils Times Square billboard comparing Newsom to NY Jets during Super Bowl week

Trump shames CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for not smiling when asking president about Epstein survivors

Mike Johnson backs ‘America Is Back!’ message as Trump debuts new hat design

These are the 21 House Republicans who held out against Trump, Johnson on $1.2T spending bill

Mitch McConnell hospitalized after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend

Jill Biden’s Ex-Husband Charged with Murder

The short report does not explain the legal rationale for the decision, which puts a final closure on the much-diminished 2019 inflow from Central America. But Section 212(f) of the 1965 immigration act says:

Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.

Business groups strongly dislike this 212(f) rule, which can raise Americans’ wages by choking off the flow of blue-collar migrants into Americans’ workplaces during a growing economy.

The southern border will stay open for Americans, foreigners with proper documents, and for trade, the New York Times continued:

The administration officials said the ports of entry would remain open to American citizens, green-card holders and foreigners with proper documentation. Some foreigners would be blocked, including Europeans currently subject to earlier travel restrictions imposed by the administration. The points of entry will also be open to commercial traffic.

The New York Times‘ report was also silent about the northern border, which is open to many of the travelers from China who have been welcomed by the Canadian government during the last several weeks.