Trump orders new restrictions on asylum seekers News
© WikiMedia (Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary)
Trump orders new restrictions on asylum seekers

The Trump administration issued a presidential memorandum Monday on Additional Measures to Enhance Border Security and Restore Integrity to Our Immigration System.

In February, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to address the security and humanitarian crisis at the border. According to the White House, the situation has only continued to escalate with 100,000 inadmissible immigrants migrating to the US in March alone. Trump acknowledged influx of people requires extensive resources.

The purpose of the memo is to strengthen asylum procedures. Within 90 days, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security are to: “propose regulations to ensure aliens receive positive fear determinations … are placed in proceedings,” propose regulations that ensure “all asylum applications adjudicated in immigration court proceedings receive final administrative adjudication … within 180 days of filing,” set a fee for asylum application that does not exceed the cost of adjudicating the application, and propose regulations that bar immigrants who have attempted to enter the US unlawfully from receiving employment authorization.

The memo also says that immigration officers should be appropriately allocated to improve the system.