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.

Dem candidate’s bizarre anti-MAGA tirade ends with ‘we have guns too’

UK warns Iran is targeting ‘military sites’ as US and allies recognize growing threat of IRGC ‘hybrid activities’

Coast Guard firefight puts US, Mexico at odds despite coordinated border operations

Judge extends ban on tree removals at East Potomac Golf Links for two weeks

Young South Dakota deputy dies three days after being shot during a confrontation at a home

Lawyers for Charlie Kirk’s accused assassin Tyler Robinson want cameras banned after report on taxpayer burden

Watch: Katie Zacharia Begins Her First White House Press Briefing with a Message to Trump

GOP cuts bait on vulnerable Iowa representative one week after Johnson’s visit

Trump Speaks Out on Ilhan Omar Raid: ‘I Have Nothing to Do with It’

Dem making Senate comeback bid says he wouldn’t support a Trump impeachment push

Democrats’ fury over Ilhan Omar raid draws stinging GOP reminder about raid from the past: ‘Set the precedent’

Breaking: Kimberly Guilfoyle ‘Forever Grateful’ to Trump as She Resigns

Pope Leo XIV admitted to Gemelli Hospital for surgery to remove nodule from lung

Trump-linked super PAC pulls funding from 2 House Republicans as GOP fights to keep majority

Isaias aftermath brings arrests after suspects allegedly trick woman into letting them in car, store looted

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.