Trump to end asylum protections for most Central American migrants at US-Mexico border

The Trump administration is moving to end asylum protections for most Central American migrants, the Department of Justice announced Monday. According to a new rule published in the Federal Register, asylum-seekers who pass through another country before reaching the U.S. will be ineligible for asylum when they reach the southern border. The rule, which is expected to go into effect Tuesday, is likely to face a slew of legal challenges. Under the rule, those who have been the victims of trafficking are granted exceptions. The rule also allows exceptions for migrants passing through countries that have not signed major international refugee treaties and for migrants who have been denied asylum in the countries they traveled through. Attorney General William Barr defended the legality of the move in a statement Monday. “This Rule is a lawful exercise of authority provided by Congress to restrict eligibility for asylum,” Barr said. “The United States is a generous country but is being completely overwhelmed by the burdens associated with apprehending and processing hundreds of thousands of aliens along the southern border.”...MORE