While waiting for Congress to act on closing immigration loopholes, the Trump administration is imposing a new rule to limit asylum claims by requiring professed refugees to first seek asylum in another country closer to home.
The Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security announced the new rule for asylum seekers, which is set to take effect Tuesday.
Asylum seekers will be required to apply for protection from prosecution or torture in at least one other country outside the asylum seeker’s country of citizenship or nationality before he or she enters the United States.
The rule comes as President Donald Trump tries to gain control over the southern border amid a surge of migrants from Central America.
Kevin K. McAleenan, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said the change is designed to decrease that surge.
“Until Congress can act, this interim rule will help reduce a major ‘pull’ factor driving irregular migration to the United States and enable DHS and DOJ to more quickly and efficiently process cases originating from the southern border, leading to fewer individuals transiting through Mexico on a dangerous journey,” McAleenan said in a formal statement.
The Trump administration contends it has the flexibility to place the restriction on asylum seekers under the congressionally passed Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows additional limitations on eligibility for aliens who seek asylum in the United States.
Read the full story from The Daily Signal
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