White House weighs executive actions to block migrant caravan at the border
By TED HESSON, NANCY COOK and ANDREW RESTUCCIA 10/25/2018 09:21 PM EDT Updated 10/25/2018 09:37 PM EDT
The White House is weighing an executive action and regulatory change to block a caravan of Central American migrants from entering the United States, according to a DHS official, an administration official and three people familiar with the move.
Under the plan, the Trump administration would publish fast-track regulation that would restrict certain migrants' ability to seek asylum. The regulation would be paired with a related proclamation from President Donald Trump.
The executive actions would follow the playbook of Trump’s most sensational immigration moves and test the bounds of public approval and legality, according to those familiar with it. Trump has fumed publicly and privately in recent days about a caravan of migrants traveling north through Mexico and challenged aides to find a solution.
The intense focus on immigration comes less than two weeks before the midterm elections. Democrats are favored to regain control of the House, but Republicans hope to retain competitive seats by digging in on a core issue.
“The administration is considering a wide range of administrative, legal and legislative options to address the Democrat-created crisis of mass illegal immigration,” a White House official said. “No decisions have been made at this time. Nor will we forecast to smugglers or caravans what precise strategies will or will not be deployed.”
Kerri Talbot, director of the D.C.-based Immigration Hub, said it’s a play to Trump’s base. “He’s trying to distract voters from core issues like health care,” she said.
The DHS official briefed on the moves warned that the administration could abandon the plan or adjust it before moving forward.
The actions appear to lean on the same statute behind Trump’s travel ban, according to those familiar with it. The statute states that the president can suspend entry of foreigners deemed “detrimental to the interests of the United States.”
The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the third version of the travel ban in June. In a 5-4 decision, the justices ruled the president has vast powers in the realm of national security.
“I think the courts respected a thorough national security review that was undertaken,” said the DHS official. “Here you’ve got something that appears to be completely political and focused on a caravan of women and children.”
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...e-order-941993
