United States Proposes Rule Banning Asylum for Illegal Migrants
RUBY LA Staff Writer
During Donald Trump’s mid-term election campaign, a major focus of the campaign was immigration. This focus led him to sign a proclamation that bans immigrants who enter illegally from applying for asylum. The proclamation also promoted asylum to migrants who come to the United States through legal points of entry. An asylum is the right to international protection in another country. As stated by the BBC, the proclamation will only apply to aliens who violate a presidential suspension of entry or other restrictions from asylum eligibility. Asylum-seekers, will be barred from entry for around 90 days.
These rules do not apply to minors and migrants who claim they fear violence in their home countries. In accordance with U.S. law, there is a legal obligation to hear claims proposed by migrants as, under international law, people who have these claims are considered refugees.
“I believe asylum is a human right and here in the United States there is a process for asylum that I think Trump is undermining,” IDEAs advisor Travis Corona said. “What we have to remember is that people are fleeing their countries because of either natural disasters, war, poverty, violence, political or religious persecution and prosecution due to their sexual orientation.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the proclamation states that detained individuals who were caught entering illegally will be sent to legal points of entry to be processed. It also states that migrants who entered before this proclamation is in effect will not be subject to this rule. However, if they depart and reenter the country while it still is in effect they will be subject to the proclamation.
In a report by the rights group, Washington Office on Latin America, the number of migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras who request asylum has increased by 25 percent. Since the Refugee Act that was passed by congress in 1980, the U.S. has had a cap on refugee admissions, making the application process for asylum complicated and making it more difficult to gain entry into the United States, especially for those who lack the necessary funds. Immigrants who attempt to enter the United States by any means, however, are still entitled to have a court hearing if such a hearing is requested.