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.

AOC gives major hint about 2028 as Democrat civil war looms

Walz’s ‘exit interview’ reflecting on his tenure sparks lawmaker debate about his legacy: ‘Never serious’

Former Climate Reporter: My Industry Protected the Climate Change Narrative By Killing Positive News Stories

Degeneracy: School Protected Teacher Taking Sexual Pics of 10-Year-Olds Because He Is Gay and ‘Bats for the Other Team,’ Court Docs Say

Government-Owned Capitalism: Brilliant Strategy or Socialist Disaster?

Key Alaska Senate Race Comes Down to One Issue: Fish

AOC’s Ivy League warmup act leads democratic socialists in notorious anti-Israel chant

Lindsay Clancy holdout juror’s lawyer challenges claim he broke the law and more top headlines

Trump’s novel legal strategy pummels alleged ‘narco-terrorists’ and cartel members

Sen Kennedy says no living politicians should have buildings named after them after Trump’s moves

Texas man arrested after ‘intentionally’ crashing into a closed Kroger to use bathroom: cops

Attorney for lone holdout juror in Lindsay Clancy mistrial pushes back on claims of refusing the law

Police hunt sexually violent predator who vanished after GPS ‘tamper mode’ alert

Susie Wiles reveals brutal toll of fighting cancer while running Trump’s White House

Woman found dead with unexplained trauma in Central Park as NYPD searches for answers

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.