Trump administration moves forward with asylum restrictions

U.S. Mexico border.
(Image credit: iStockphoto)

The Trump administration has taken the next step toward barring migrants who illegally cross the border from claiming asylum.

President Trump announced changes to the asylum process in a press conference last week, saying he'd soon issue an executive order requiring asylum seekers to enter the U.S. at official ports of entry. All people caught crossing in other locations would be detained indefinitely, Trump said. The Justice Department published that change to the federal record on Thursday, but added that it won't be official until Trump issues a proclamation, likely on Friday, Bloomberg reports.

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Thursday's plan doesn't explicitly apply to just Central American migrants, per the Post. But Trump did tie the proposal to the "caravan" of Central American migrants headed toward the border in his press conference, claiming the military was building facilities at the border to detain the group. The Pentagon countered, saying the military isn't building any detention facilities. Read the entire massive asylum change here.

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.