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 and wife shot in broad daylight in Indiana, sparking massive multi-agency investigation

Dem Senator Warner admits Biden ‘screwed up’ the border, but claims ICE now targeting noncriminals

Trump says media focuses too much on Minnesota ICE coverage, not enough on corruption allegations

Maryland Democrat’s bill seeks to ‘digitally unmask’ ICE agents after fatal Minneapolis shooting

Bill Cassidy challenger digs in against Trump’s preferred GOP Senate candidate

Florida repeat offender allegedly killed 3 tourists minutes from Magic Kingdom after run of violence: records

ISIS fighters reportedly escape from Kurdish prisons amid fighting with government

Piers Morgan Hospitalized After Suffering Serious Injury at Restaurant

UN chief accuses US of ditching international law as Trump blasts global bodies

Oops: Leader of Anti-ICE Church Invasion Just Made Prosecutors’ Job a Lot Easier

Bruce Springsteen Pauses Concert to Deliver Vulgar Anti-ICE Message

Watch: US National Anthem Heckled at London NBA Game

Prominent Catholic bishop slams anti-ICE agitators who disrupted MN church service: ‘Unacceptable’

Anti-ICE Rioters Assault Conservative, Force Man to Take Off His American Flag Hoodie

Mexico using ‘weaponized immigration’ to undermine US sovereignty, author of new book alleges

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.