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.

Masked thieves in South American crime ring loot American homes in coordinated pattern, police warn

Chicago public schools blow millions on travel while students can’t read at grade level and more top headlines

Christianity Today Hires Woke Female CEO Amid Continued Liberal Shift

Where illegal immigrants find work in the US

Nikki Haley’s Gen Z Son Gains Online Following, Charts Different Course from Mother

Trump kicks off Thanksgiving week with turkey pardon and Christmas tree arrival

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene slaps down notion that she’s eyeing a presidential run

FAA scrambles to hire 8,900 air traffic controllers by 2028 as shortage reaches crisis levels

Top military leaders head to Puerto Rico to thank troops supporting Caribbean missions

Rubio claims ‘tremendous amount of progress’ in Ukraine peace talks following Geneva meeting

Kristi Noem unveils $1B TSA modernization plan, awards $10K bonuses to workers who served during shutdown

Duffy identifies Chicago train victim as 26-year-old Bethany MaGee while blasting city’s ‘carelessness’

DOGE closes eight months early, but principles remain ‘alive and well’

Trump claims GOP has ‘never been so united,’ calls Greene and other Republicans ‘lowlifes’

‘ShamWow’ guy files to run for Congress in Texas as Republican candidate

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.