President Trump announced his plan to sign an executive order Wednesday that would allow illegal immigrant families to “stay together” if caught entering the United States; a major step that will prevent future “family separations” at the US-Mexico border.
The President announced his decision after speaking with GOP legislators at the US Capitol, saying the “temporary measure” will allow children to remain with their parents at ICE detention facilities across the country.
WATCH: President Trump addresses immigration, expected to sign new legislation that would prevent families from being separated at the border https://t.co/Bdy7roP7qd pic.twitter.com/nIETDa86LS
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 20, 2018
“I’ll be signing something in a little while [to keep families together],” he said, calling the move “somewhat preemptive” and stressing it would “be matched by legislation.”
“The separations stem from the administration’s ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy, which aims to prosecute all illegal border crossers. But because of a 1997 order and related decisions, children cannot be detained for longer than 20 days with the adults,” writes Fox News.
Read the full story at Fox News.
'TOTAL CATASTROPHE': Four Separate IMMIGRATION BILLS FAIL in US Senate
Four separate immigration bills crashed and burned in the US Senate this week, capping off a week of fiery debate, negotiations, and eventually defeat as both the President’s proposal and a bipartisan bill failed to secure enough votes.
Trump’s four-part immigration plan -which would provide a pathway to citizenship for nearly two million ‘Dreamers,’ fund his border wall, and end “chain” migration- went down in defeat, with many Republicans joining their Democrat colleagues and sinking the bill in a 39-60 vote.
The Senate’s bipartisan deal also fell short just hours after Trump threatened to veto the bill he described as a “total catastrophe.”
“The Schumer-Rounds-Collins immigration bill would be a total catastrophe. @DHSgov says it would be ‘the end of immigration enforcement in America.’ It creates a giant amnesty (including for dangerous criminals), doesn’t build the wall, expands chain migration, keeps the visa,” Trump tweeted.
The Schumer-Rounds-Collins immigration bill would be a total catastrophe. @DHSgov says it would be “the end of immigration enforcement in America.” It creates a giant amnesty (including for dangerous criminals), doesn’t build the wall, expands chain migration, keeps the visa…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2018
The Senate’s inability to pass any immigration deal comes as the March 5th deadline looms with the nation’s DACA program officially expiring; throwing into question the fate of millions of ‘Dreamers’ currently residing in the United States.
ASYLUM CRACKDOWN: Sessions Moves to ‘BLOCK’ Asylum Seekers from Entering US
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced new federal immigration guidelines Monday; cracking down on the level of asylum seekers hoping to enter the United States as a result of “domestic abuse” and “gang violence.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Sessions outlined his decision this week; claiming “private crimes” such as family disputes are not “eligible” for asylum under pre-existing guidelines surrounding immigration.
“Generally, claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence or gang violence perpetrated by non-governmental actors will not qualify for asylum,” Sessions wrote. “The mere fact that a country may have problems effectively policing certain crimes — such as domestic violence or gang violence — or that certain populations are more likely to be victims of crime, cannot itself establish an asylum claim.”
“Asylum was never meant to alleviate all problems — even all serious problems — that people face every day all over the world,” he added.
Read the full story at the LA Times.