Washington, Nov 2 : President Donald Trump has said illegal immigrants trying to enter the United States would now be apprehended at the border and, unlike the current practice, would no longer be released.
Announcing a significant change in the current catch-and-release policy for illegal immigrants, Trump said Thursday they would be released only after a US court pronounces its judgement on their asylum application. If negative, they would be deported to their original country.
“We are not releasing them into our country any longer. They will wait for long periods of time. We’re putting up massive cities of tents; the military is helping us incredibly well,” Trump said.
The major policy speech days ahead of the crucial midterm poll comes because of a caravan, estimated to be comprising between 5,000-7,000 people, from three Latin American countries, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Trump has deployed military at the Southwestern border to stop them.
“At this very moment, a large well-organised caravan of migrants are marching towards our southern border. Some people call it an invasion. It’s like an invasion. They have violently overrun the Mexican border. You saw that two days ago,” he said.
Trump said such caravans would not be allowed and they should turn back as they were “wasting their time”, suggesting they should apply to come into the country. “We hope nothing happens, but, if it does, we are totally prepared,” he added.
Observing that the current policy of catch-and-release is a laughing stock all over the world, Trump vowed that he would not allow them any longer. “We’re not allowing them in and we’re not releasing and we’re not doing any of the things that were done for so many years that really are terrible for our country.”
“We have thousands of tents. We have a lot of tents. We’re going to hold them right there. We’re not letting them into our country. And then, they never show up, almost, it’s like a level of three per cent.
“They never show up for the trial. So, by the time their trial comes, they’re gone… Nobody knows where they are. But we know where a lot of them are and they’re going to be deported,” the president said.
“Military could fire at caravan if people throw stones”
Washington, Nov 02 : President Donald Trump has suggested that the military could fire on the caravan that is heading towards the United States if people throw stones at the soldiers.
Currently, an estimated 5,000-7,000 people from three Latin American countries –El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala — are marching towards the US through Mexico. Trump has deployed more than 5,000 military personnel on the southwestern border to stop them from entering.
Responding to a question from reporters after he announced changes in the current catch-and-release policy, Trump hoped that the US military does not has to open fire at these illegal immigrants.
“I hope not. I hope not. It’s the military. I hope there won’t be that,” he said.
But, Trump added, anybody throwing stones and rocks, like they did in Mexico, that would be considered as a firearm, because “there’s not much difference when you get hit in the face with a rock”.
Trump alleged that these immigrants were throwing rocks, viciously, and violently. “You saw that three days ago, really hurting the military. We’re not going to put up with that. They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back,” he said.
“We’re going to consider — and I told them consider it a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did at the Mexico military and police, I say consider it a rifle,” he added.
“They broke in to Mexico. And you look at what’s happening in Guatemala along with El Salvador and Honduras. It’s disgraceful that those countries aren’t able to stop this because they should be able to stop it before it starts.
“And the United States pays them a fortune and we’re looking at not doing that anymore because why should we be doing that when they do nothing for us?” he asked.
