Donald Trump's government announced on Monday (July 15th) that it would refuse all asylum applications lodged on the southern border by migrants who did not apply for refugee status in Mexico or another country on the road to the United States. United.

The government "uses its legal power, as conferred by Congress," Justice Minister William Barr said in a statement. "The United States is generous but completely overwhelmed by the burden created by the hundreds of thousands of foreigners arrested at the southern border," he added, wishing that the new rule "discourages economic migrants who want to exploit our asylum system ".

Trump in the election campaign

This is an "interim" measure until Congress revises the country's immigration laws, said Acting Home Security Minister Kevin McAleenan. Some exceptions are provided, in particular for victims of human trafficking, but they do not cover unaccompanied minors.

"This is a way for the Trump administration to put forward its fight against illegal immigration, we know that Donald Trump is already in the re-election campaign, he wants to show his supporters that he is keeping his promises," summarizes Sonia Dridi, correspondent of France 24 in Washington.

Legal actions

Following the announcement, the powerful civil rights organization ACLU immediately declared that it would take legal action against this measure, which is due to come into effect on Tuesday. Courts have already invalidated several attempts by the US government to restrict the right of asylum.

The United States faces an influx of migrants on its border with Mexico, with more than 100,000 people arrested every month since March, including many families with children.

Originally overwhelmingly from poor and violent countries in Central America, led by Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, these migrants generally apply for asylum, which allows them to stay in the United States for the duration of their file review. by an immigration judge.

The government accuses them of disappearing and inflating the number of some 10.5 million undocumented present in the United States.

With AFP and Reuters