Trump threatens closure of U.S.-Mexico border next week to stem asylum surge

[rooster59]

Trump threatens closure of U.S.-Mexico border next week to stem asylum surge

By Yeganeh Torbati and Jeff Mason

 

A general view shows vehicles queued to cross the Cordova-Americas international border crossing bridge in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

 

WASHINGTON/PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico next week, potentially disrupting millions of legal border crossings and billions of dollars in trade if Mexico does not stop immigrants from reaching the United States.

 

"There's a very good likelihood that I'll be closing the border next week, and that will be just fine with me," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

 

Trump has repeatedly said he would close the U.S. border with Mexico during his two years in office and has not followed through. But this time the government says it is struggling to deal with a surge of asylum seekers from countries in Central America who travel through Mexico.

 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials warned that traffic with Mexico could slow as the agency shifts 750 border personnel from ports of entry to help process asylum seekers who are turning up between official crossing points.

 

"Make no mistake: Americans may feel effects from this emergency," Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement. Nielsen said the personnel shift would lead to commercial delays and longer wait times at crossing points.

 

Some of those delays were already being felt on both sides of the international border.

 

On Friday afternoon, the wait was longer than usual on the Mexican side of the crossing between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas, with long lines of freight trucks carrying goods from Mexican factories into the United States, according to a Reuters witness. One driver said she had been stuck in line for three hours on her way to her job in the United States.

 

Nielsen and other U.S. officials say border patrol officers have been overwhelmed by a dramatic increase in asylum seekers, many of them children and families who arrive in large groups fleeing violence and economic hardship in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

 

March is on track for 100,000 border apprehensions, DHS officials said, which would be the highest monthly number in more than a decade. Most of those people can remain in the United States while their asylum claims are processed, which can take years because of ballooning immigration court backlogs.

 

Nielsen warned Congress on Thursday that the government faces a "system-wide meltdown" as it tries to care for more than 1,200 unaccompanied children and 6,600 migrant families in its custody.

 

Mexico played down the possibility of a border shutdown.

 

"Mexico does not act on the basis of threats. We are a great neighbour," Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Twitter.

 

'SIAMESE TWINS'

 

It is not clear how shutting down ports of entry would deter asylum seekers, as they are legally able to request help as soon as they set foot on U.S. soil.

 

But a border shutdown would disrupt tourism and commerce between the United States and its third-largest trade partner, which totalled $612 billion last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

 

"We'd be looking at losses worth billions of dollars," said Kurt Honold, head of CCE, a business group in Tijuana, Mexico, in response to Trump's threat. "It's obvious he's not measuring what he says."

 

A shutdown could lead to factory closings on both sides of the border, industry officials say, as the automobiles and medical sectors have woven international supply chains into their business models.

 

"We are Siamese twins - we are so entangled together," said Alan Russell, chief executive of the Tecma Group, an outsourcing firm.

 

Lean hog futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell 5.7 percent on worries that the border closure would disrupt exports to the top U.S. pork market.

 

U.S. ports of entry recorded 193 million pedestrian and vehicle-passenger crossings last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

 

As president, Trump has legal authority to close particular ports of entry, but he could be open to a legal challenge if he decided to close all of them immediately, said Stephen Legomsky, a former chief counsel at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under Democratic President Barack Obama.

 

Trump is trying to convince Congress to sign off on a revised trade agreement with Mexico and Canada that his administration negotiated last year.

 

Trump launched his presidential bid in June 2015 with a promise to crack down on illegal immigration, saying Mexico was sending rapists and drug runners into the United States.

 

On Friday, he said Mexico should do more to prevent Central American migrants from reaching the United States.

 

"It's very easy for them to stop people from coming up, but they don't choose to do it," he said.

 

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday that tackling illegal immigration is an issue chiefly for the United States and the Central American countries to address.

 

Trump has so far been unable to convince Congress to tighten asylum laws or fund a proposed border wall, one of his signature policies. Trump has declared a national emergency to justify redirecting money earmarked for the military to pay for building a wall.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-30

[Tug]

That will cost business and consumers a lot of money another fiasco due to Donald’s inability to negotiate 

[gamb00ler]

Trump thinks closing the border will be a net profit for USA because we have a trade deficit with Mexico?

No wonder Trump had his "fixer" got to his old schools and ensure that his grades were never released.  It's ever more apparent he is pretty much clueless about most anything except fear mongering, nepotism and braggadocio.  Did I mention bullying?

Edited March 29, 2019 by gamb00ler

[helpisgood]

Trump may have a legitimate complaint about how the Mexican govt. is now handling the Central American migrant problem.  That's one thing.

 

However, his proposed solution, as the OP explains, would affect a lot of people who have nothing to do with how this problem is being handled.  It looks like this would hurt a lot of regular working people whose very livelihoods depend upon this border activity. 

 

Interestingly, this would hurt a lot of Americans, so I wonder how many of those had voted for Trump.  They may start trashing those MAGA hats as they try to reconcile their family budgets to Trump's plan.

 

As Tug has just posted above, this sounds like an indication of Trump's inability to know how to negotiate.  Or, maybe he just does not care?  It seems like he has simply chosen the simplest and most dramatic solution so he will get more applause lines at his rallies. 

 

Surely, with a long and entangled relationship with a large border country like Mexico, Trump and his people should be able to come up with some kinds of diplomatic pressure that would not hurt, or at least minimize, the affect on the lives of so many working men and women who are just trying to put food on their tables for their families. 

 

I guess the full title of Trump's ghost-written book should be The Art of the Deal as it Works Best for Me (and Screw Everyone Else & Where's My Coke and Cheeseburger?).

Edited March 30, 2019 by helpisgood
typos

[neeray]

56 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"We'd be looking at losses worth billions of dollars," said Kurt Honold, head of CCE, a business group in Tijuana, Mexico, in response to Trump's threat. "It's obvious he's not measuring what he says."

I love the last sentence of the above quote.

Since when has Trump ever been bothered "measuring what he says"?

 

Trump modus operandi has always been "mouth in gear, engage brain later (if at all)"

[Redline]

Close it you fake ????

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, crees said:

The US could learn some valuable lessons from  Thailand on the subject of illegals coming across its borders.

Put them into a human trafficking system?

[direction BANGKOK]

I think closing the presidency for a while would be much more popular and effective. 

[zydeco]

4 hours ago, helpisgood said:

Interestingly, this would hurt a lot of Americans, so I wonder how many of those had voted for Trump. 

Those effected would be Americans in border counties, most of which went Democrat, the exception being a few depopulated counties in West Texas and Arizona. So those hurt would mainly be Democrats. https://brilliantmaps.com/2016-county-election-map/

[xylophone]

4 hours ago, neeray said:

Trump modus operandi has always been "mouth in gear, engage brain later (if at all)"

"mouth in gear, engage brain later........". 

 

Major error old chap............nothing to engage I'm afraid!! Proven time and time again.

[neeray]

He will close it to satisfy his diminishing base and demonstrate that he is a man of great power and sound decision making. 555

[Proboscis]

Problem: Not enough staff to process asylum seekers, creating queueing system that lasts years

Normal Solution: Hire more staff and put more resources to deal with asylum seekers so that they are processed (the resulting release of resources might help to pay for the resources employed)

 

Trump's Solution: Destroy the economy in border states and the lives of Americans living there and trampel on the rights of prospective asylum seekers by closing the border.

 

Trump's long term solution: build a wall to keep out those folks who are desperate enough to cross a desert where the mortality rate is potentially enormous.

 

And this is supposed to be from the most advanced democracy in the world?

[elmrfudd]

6 hours ago, Tug said:

That will cost business and consumers a lot of money another fiasco due to Donald’s inability to negotiate 

Negotiate with the open borders lunatics or the feckless congress that refuses to use common sense to apply the same law to central American illegals as we do to Mexican illegals?

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, elmrfudd said:

Negotiate with the open borders lunatics or the feckless congress that refuses to use common sense to apply the same law to central American illegals as we do to Mexican illegals?

What open border fanatics? Please name the elected officials in congress that are actually open border fanatics. I think if there any such people, they are very, very few in number.

Cheers.

[elmrfudd]

36 minutes ago, Proboscis said:

Problem: Not enough staff to process asylum seekers, creating queueing system that lasts years

Normal Solution: Hire more staff and put more resources to deal with asylum seekers so that they are processed (the resulting release of resources might help to pay for the resources employed)

 

Trump's Solution: Destroy the economy in border states and the lives of Americans living there and trampel on the rights of prospective asylum seekers by closing the border.

 

Trump's long term solution: build a wall to keep out those folks who are desperate enough to cross a desert where the mortality rate is potentially enormous.

 

And this is supposed to be from the most advanced democracy in the world?

The problem is that congress refuses to do their job and fix the loopholes. Not applying the same rules to central American illegals as we do to Mexican illegals is insane. 

 

But the moral preening should help, it must be the responsibility of the country whos laws are being abused to help those who are refusing to follow the law, in your opinion. 

[usviphotography]

56 minutes ago, Proboscis said:

Problem: Not enough staff to process asylum seekers, creating queueing system that lasts years

Normal Solution: Hire more staff and put more resources to deal with asylum seekers so that they are processed (the resulting release of resources might help to pay for the resources employed)

That is only part of the solution, and since over 99% of these asylum seekers are fraudulent, it doesn't really address the "problem" at all. 

 

What we really need to do is open giant detention centers. See, what is happening now is that these fake asylum seekers are coming in, getting released in to the interior, and then disappearing. You want to hire more "processors" but that wouldn't accomplish a thing since almost none of these people are refugees and none of them are showing up for their scheduled hearings. So all you've accomplished is hired a bunch of expensive lawyers who process forms that will be presented at a hearing where the other party doesn't even show up. 

 

Detention would address all the issues. First, the handful of actual asylum seekers would be forced to show up for their hearing and then either be granted asylum or shipped out on a plane. Second, it shuts down the loophole. If falsely claiming asylum gets you locked up and then sent right back to where you started rather than a free pass to America, nobody is going to do it. 

[zydeco]

This is Trump's Merkel Moment. If he doesn't stem the tide, his base will never forgive him. And, generally, this crisis will lead to intensified responses, similar to Europe, demanding action and the formation of new political parties and alliances. War in the streets? Don't know. Could be.

[samran]

36 minutes ago, zydeco said:

This is Trump's Merkel Moment. If he doesn't stem the tide, his base will never forgive him. And, generally, this crisis will lead to intensified responses, similar to Europe, demanding action and the formation of new political parties and alliances. War in the streets? Don't know. Could be.

His corporate donors, you know the ones who actually own the factories over the border, will no doubt convince him that it isn’t that bad an emergency...

[riclag]

41 minutes ago, zydeco said:

This is Trump's Merkel Moment. If he doesn't stem the tide, his base will never forgive him. And, generally, this crisis will lead to intensified responses, similar to Europe, demanding action and the formation of new political parties and alliances. War in the streets? Don't know. Could be.

Nonsense !There won't be war in the streets,in the sense of people fighting and killing each other because of this asylum concern, maybe in Mexico, where many stop and congregate by the thousands before they enter illegally to the USA.

 

  Using the current situation as a National Security threat*(drugs, human trafficking violent gangs) ,It's possible he could temporarily shut down some of the busiest ports of entry ,while leaving  one port  to take on load of the others forcing a major disruption of trade costing millions or billions of dollars,   especially  in Agriculture! Between both countries, Mexico would  suffer economically more then the USA!

"Trump has discretion to decide which ports of entry should be established and closed. That is determined by administrative regulations, all within the control of the executive branch of the U.S. government, he said.

Last month(when the article was published), for example, U.S. officials temporarily suspended traffic in both directions at the San Ysidro port of entry between San Diego and Tijuana, disrupting trade at the most heavily trafficked land border in the Western hemisphere".

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/donald-trump-southern-border-shutdown-1.4960778

 

PT would never loose his base for fear of the alternative, take that to the bank!

Edited March 30, 2019 by riclag

[elmrfudd]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

That 99 percent figure is obviously made up and obviously totally false.

It's a complex legal issue.

The standards are high to win and it's clear many cases that should win don't win because of lack of good supporting documentation and legal help.

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-asylum-seekers-20180506-story.html

economic migrants do not qualify. their nearest country isn't the US either.

 

we are at a ridiculous point of saturation and all the left can do is call people racists instead of trying to fix the loopholes and open crossing areas

[elmrfudd]

2 hours ago, samran said:

His corporate donors, you know the ones who actually own the factories over the border, will no doubt convince him that it isn’t that bad an emergency...

which donors are those, precisely?

 

and do they give to congress, or is this just another emotional rant?

[bristolboy]

5 hours ago, elmrfudd said:

The problem is that congress refuses to do their job and fix the loopholes. Not applying the same rules to central American illegals as we do to Mexican illegals is insane. 

 

But the moral preening should help, it must be the responsibility of the country whos laws are being abused to help those who are refusing to follow the law, in your opinion. 

Your contention that the same rules aren't being applied to Central AMerican illegals is false.

[elmrfudd]

8 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Your contention that the same rules aren't being applied to Central AMerican illegals is false.

there’s a big difference between how Mexican and Central American kids are treated once they cross the border. Mexican children and teens are deported almost immediately, without ever setting foot in court to argue their case for legal status. Their quick ouster is known as “expedited repatriation.” Central American children, however, are allowed to remain in the country until they go before a judge. there in lies the stupidity of congress to allow this. most never show up, forever to stat illegally

[Jingthing]

45 threatens to do a lot of outrageous things.

You can bet a big old wall he won't be doing this.

People -- you see his pattern by now, right?

 

45 doesn't actually even want to solve these immigration problems. 

His entire game is keeping the rhetoric super hot to keep his never wavering (but perpetual minority) base fired up. 

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by Jingthing

[elmrfudd]

25 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

45 threatens to do a lot of outrageous things.

You can bet a big old wall he won't be doing this.

People -- you see his pattern by now, right?

 

45 doesn't actually even want to solve these immigration problems. 

His entire game is keeping the rhetoric super hot to keep his never wavering (but perpetual minority) base fired up. 

 

in your opinion, of course

[Jingthing]

in your opinion, of course

I never presented it as fact. It's a prediction. Literally shutting down the border would devastate the economy. He may do some stunt like put some new barbed wire fencing in and call that a total border shutdown. There seems to be no limit to the lies that his base believes.

 

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

[Cryingdick]

They need to get rid of Jus Soli and catch and release. Offer no amnesty for illegals other than maybe the DACA kids who are here already. You can come in and not show up to court this way but you can't have 6 kids and they are allowed to stay. This would mean anybody sneaking in would have no path to citizenship nor would their children. The trouble with migrant visas is in part jus soli. Just because you have a 6 month work permit shouldn't give you the right to have your kids born as Americans. Make them sign a waiver that says they will not make babies born while on such programs American citizens.

 

If they sneak in anyway that's fine it is only temporary until they are caught and deported. The law regarding those that have been caught once for illegal crossing and do it again should be strengthened. Agree to these things and we won't need a wall. 

 

But any of this is as unlikely as the electoral college being abolished it would require a constitutional convention and that ain't going to happen. 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

They need to get rid of Jus Soli and catch and release. Offer no amnesty for illegals other than maybe the DACA kids who are here already. You can come in and not show up to court this way but you can't have 6 kids and they are allowed to stay. This would mean anybody sneaking in would have no path to citizenship nor would their children. The trouble with migrant visas is in part jus soli. Just because you have a 6 month work permit shouldn't give you the right to have your kids born as Americans. Make them sign a waiver that says they will not make babies born while on such programs American citizens.

 

If they sneak in anyway that's fine it is only temporary until they are caught and deported. The law regarding those that have been caught once for illegal crossing and do it again should be strengthened. Agree to these things and we won't need a wall. 

 

But any of this is as unlikely as the electoral college being abolished it would require a constitutional convention and that ain't going to happen. 

Have you ever considered your own life’s experience when advocating the persecution of others?

 

 

[elmrfudd]

7 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Have you ever considered your own life’s experience when advocating the persecution of others?

 

 

persecuting people breaking the law and disregarding sovereignty? 

 

no, let's just let everyone in so other people think we are compassionate, while

the country's infrastructure evaporates.

 

we can't even support the legal citizens without massive debts, get a grip on reality.

[Jingthing]

persecuting people breaking the law and disregarding sovereignty? 
 
no, let's just let everyone in so other people think we are compassionate, while
the country's infrastructure evaporates.
 
we can't even support the legal citizens without massive debts, get a grip on reality.

But scapegoating these mostly poor desperate people is another level.

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