US President Donald Trump wants to reduce migrants' access to asylum applications in the country. In a statement on Thursday afternoon (1), he said he intended to require applicants to submit their requests only in legal ports of entry.
"Migrants seeking asylum will have to legally present themselves at a port of entry," Trump told reporters at the White House. "Those who choose to break our laws and enter illegally will no longer be able to use claims without merit to obtain automatic admission in our country."
Currently, the asylum clause in the Immigration and Nationality Act says that anyone who arrives in the US can apply for asylum, regardless of where their entry takes place. By limiting the possibility of claiming the benefit only to such points, it would be practically impossible, for example, that members of the caravans who left Honduras and El Salvador will be able to do so.
Trump spoke specifically of the caravans, repeating that they will not have entry allowed in the country.
According to the president, troops have already been sent to the border with Mexico to prevent migrants from entering the United States. "We hope nothing happens, but if they need it they are prepared," he said.
He also criticized the members of these groups and made a warning. "It's not an innocent group of people, they've hurt and attacked Mexican policemen, they're very tough people, I do not want them in our country." We've already warned that anyone throwing stones - as they did with Mexican police officers - with a gun. "
Trump says thousands of tents are being erected to house people trying to enter the United States, to prevent them from seeking asylum and spreading across the country as they await the trial of their applications, a process that may take months or even years.
