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"Behind the scenes," CNN reported Monday, "the president told border agents to not let migrants in. Tell them we don't have the capacity, he said. If judges give you trouble, say, 'Sorry, judge, I can't do it. We don't have the room.'" (Photo: GOP/Twitter)
During a visit to Calexico, California last Friday, President Donald Trump reportedly told Border Patrol agents to defy U.S. law and refuse to allow migrants into the country.
"Behind the scenes," CNN reported Monday, citing two anonymous sources, "the president told border agents to not let migrants in. Tell them we don't have the capacity, he said. If judges give you trouble, say, 'Sorry, judge, I can't do it. We don't have the room.'"
"After the president left the room, agents sought further advice from their leaders, who told them they were not giving them that direction and if they did what the president said they would take on personal liability," according to CNN. "You have to follow the law, they were told."
Critics were quick to argue that the president's reported remarks amount to a blatant violation of his constitutional duty:
\u201cThis is extraordinarily dangerous and a clear breach of his oath of office.\u201d— Kenneth Zinn (@Kenneth Zinn) 1554802909
The president also aggressively pushed to reinstate his family separation policy, CNN reported, confirming earlier reporting from NBC.
"He just wants to separate families," an anonymous senior administration official told CNN.
CNN's report came just as a federal judge in California blocked Trump's policy of forcing some asylum-seekers to return to Mexico as they await a court appearance.
Charanya Krishnaswami, advocacy director for the Americas at Amnesty International USA, welcomed the judge's ruling in a statement, calling the president's policy "cruel and irresponsible."
"Asylum-seekers passing through Mexico have already endured dangerous journeys to flee desperate situations," Krishnaswami said. "Returning them to Mexico and forcing them to wait there would put them at real risk of serious human rights violations. As it currently stands, the policy gravely violates both domestic and international law."
\u201cBREAKING: A federal court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration\u2019s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico to wait while their cases are considered.\n\nThe president can\u2019t ignore our laws to accomplish his goal of preventing people from seeking asylum here.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1554763878
Trump in recent days has openly threatened to "close" the U.S.-Mexico border and--as Common Dreams reported--called on Congress to "get rid of the whole asylum system."
"And frankly," Trump told reporters outside the White House last week, "we should get rid of judges."
The president's increasingly erratic immigration rhetoric comes as he is carrying out staff changes that critics warn could make his policies toward migrants even more brutal.
On Sunday, Trump forced out Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen--a move that is reportedly part of a broader Homeland Security "purge" that will place more power in the hands of the president's xenophobic adviser Stephen Miller.
As CBS reported, "U.S. Secret Service Director Randolph 'Tex' Alles was fired Monday, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Cissna, DHS undersecretary for management Claire Grady and DHS general counsel John Mitnick are also leaving the administration."
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
During a visit to Calexico, California last Friday, President Donald Trump reportedly told Border Patrol agents to defy U.S. law and refuse to allow migrants into the country.
"Behind the scenes," CNN reported Monday, citing two anonymous sources, "the president told border agents to not let migrants in. Tell them we don't have the capacity, he said. If judges give you trouble, say, 'Sorry, judge, I can't do it. We don't have the room.'"
"After the president left the room, agents sought further advice from their leaders, who told them they were not giving them that direction and if they did what the president said they would take on personal liability," according to CNN. "You have to follow the law, they were told."
Critics were quick to argue that the president's reported remarks amount to a blatant violation of his constitutional duty:
\u201cThis is extraordinarily dangerous and a clear breach of his oath of office.\u201d— Kenneth Zinn (@Kenneth Zinn) 1554802909
The president also aggressively pushed to reinstate his family separation policy, CNN reported, confirming earlier reporting from NBC.
"He just wants to separate families," an anonymous senior administration official told CNN.
CNN's report came just as a federal judge in California blocked Trump's policy of forcing some asylum-seekers to return to Mexico as they await a court appearance.
Charanya Krishnaswami, advocacy director for the Americas at Amnesty International USA, welcomed the judge's ruling in a statement, calling the president's policy "cruel and irresponsible."
"Asylum-seekers passing through Mexico have already endured dangerous journeys to flee desperate situations," Krishnaswami said. "Returning them to Mexico and forcing them to wait there would put them at real risk of serious human rights violations. As it currently stands, the policy gravely violates both domestic and international law."
\u201cBREAKING: A federal court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration\u2019s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico to wait while their cases are considered.\n\nThe president can\u2019t ignore our laws to accomplish his goal of preventing people from seeking asylum here.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1554763878
Trump in recent days has openly threatened to "close" the U.S.-Mexico border and--as Common Dreams reported--called on Congress to "get rid of the whole asylum system."
"And frankly," Trump told reporters outside the White House last week, "we should get rid of judges."
The president's increasingly erratic immigration rhetoric comes as he is carrying out staff changes that critics warn could make his policies toward migrants even more brutal.
On Sunday, Trump forced out Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen--a move that is reportedly part of a broader Homeland Security "purge" that will place more power in the hands of the president's xenophobic adviser Stephen Miller.
As CBS reported, "U.S. Secret Service Director Randolph 'Tex' Alles was fired Monday, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Cissna, DHS undersecretary for management Claire Grady and DHS general counsel John Mitnick are also leaving the administration."
During a visit to Calexico, California last Friday, President Donald Trump reportedly told Border Patrol agents to defy U.S. law and refuse to allow migrants into the country.
"Behind the scenes," CNN reported Monday, citing two anonymous sources, "the president told border agents to not let migrants in. Tell them we don't have the capacity, he said. If judges give you trouble, say, 'Sorry, judge, I can't do it. We don't have the room.'"
"After the president left the room, agents sought further advice from their leaders, who told them they were not giving them that direction and if they did what the president said they would take on personal liability," according to CNN. "You have to follow the law, they were told."
Critics were quick to argue that the president's reported remarks amount to a blatant violation of his constitutional duty:
\u201cThis is extraordinarily dangerous and a clear breach of his oath of office.\u201d— Kenneth Zinn (@Kenneth Zinn) 1554802909
The president also aggressively pushed to reinstate his family separation policy, CNN reported, confirming earlier reporting from NBC.
"He just wants to separate families," an anonymous senior administration official told CNN.
CNN's report came just as a federal judge in California blocked Trump's policy of forcing some asylum-seekers to return to Mexico as they await a court appearance.
Charanya Krishnaswami, advocacy director for the Americas at Amnesty International USA, welcomed the judge's ruling in a statement, calling the president's policy "cruel and irresponsible."
"Asylum-seekers passing through Mexico have already endured dangerous journeys to flee desperate situations," Krishnaswami said. "Returning them to Mexico and forcing them to wait there would put them at real risk of serious human rights violations. As it currently stands, the policy gravely violates both domestic and international law."
\u201cBREAKING: A federal court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration\u2019s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico to wait while their cases are considered.\n\nThe president can\u2019t ignore our laws to accomplish his goal of preventing people from seeking asylum here.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1554763878
Trump in recent days has openly threatened to "close" the U.S.-Mexico border and--as Common Dreams reported--called on Congress to "get rid of the whole asylum system."
"And frankly," Trump told reporters outside the White House last week, "we should get rid of judges."
The president's increasingly erratic immigration rhetoric comes as he is carrying out staff changes that critics warn could make his policies toward migrants even more brutal.
On Sunday, Trump forced out Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen--a move that is reportedly part of a broader Homeland Security "purge" that will place more power in the hands of the president's xenophobic adviser Stephen Miller.
As CBS reported, "U.S. Secret Service Director Randolph 'Tex' Alles was fired Monday, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Cissna, DHS undersecretary for management Claire Grady and DHS general counsel John Mitnick are also leaving the administration."