Border measures part of Trump’s bigger immigration crackdown

WASHINGTON – The separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border caught the attention of the world and prompted mass outrage, but it only tells a small part of the story surrounding the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

In reality, the government is working to harden the system on multiple fronts to curb immigration, carving a path around various court rulings to do so. The administration is seeking to lock up families indefinitely, expand detention space and tighten asylum rules .

Many of the initiatives received little attention during the chaos over separated families, but they show how determined President Donald Trump is to stop immigrants from coming – both legally and illegally – even in cases where the administration has been stymied by the courts.

Last week’s headlines were dominated by stories of reunions of immigrant parents and their young children that the Trump administration had to carry out under a court order. The White House said it “worked tirelessly” to complete the reunifications and make sure the children were put back into safe homes.

In the same week, however, the administration made other moves to clamp down on immigrant families, asylum seekers and those seeking green cards.

The administration’s attempts to deter Central American families and children from making the trip north are designed to send the message to immigrants – and Trump’s supporters in an election year – that reaching the United States is going to get harder, and so will getting papers to stay in the country legally.

Trump offered his own solution this week for the government missing a court-mandated deadline to reunite some families: “Don’t come to our country illegally.”