President Trump threatened Saturday via Twitter again to close the southern border, just as Mexico announced it had not reached a deal with the U.S. on allowing asylum-seekers to stay in the country while they wait for approval.
“Migrants at the Southern Border will not be allowed into the United States until their claims are individually approved in court,” Trump said. Migrants will stay in Mexico, and any that come into the country illegally will be detained rather than released.
Migrants at the Southern Border will not be allowed into the United States until their claims are individually approved in court. We only will allow those who come into our Country legally. Other than that our very strong policy is Catch and Detain. No “Releasing” into the U.S…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2018
….All will stay in Mexico. If for any reason it becomes necessary, we will CLOSE our Southern Border. There is no way that the United States will, after decades of abuse, put up with this costly and dangerous situation anymore!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2018
The incoming Mexican government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador denied reports Saturday that the country will harbor the migrants as part of a plan with the Trump administration called “Remain in Mexico,” according to the Associated Press.
“There is no agreement of any sort between the incoming Mexican government and the U.S. government,” future Interior Minister Olga Sanchez said in a statement. Lopez Obrador takes office Dec. 1.
A reported 5,000 migrants from Central America, part of the so-called migrant caravans, are in Tijuana, Mexico, as they try to seek asylum at points of entry along the California border. The mayor of Tijuana appealed to the United Nations earlier this week for aid in dealing with the migrants and declared the situation an international humanitarian crisis.
