Trump urges Mexico to send illegal migrants home, repeats call for wall
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Mexico should send migrants seeking asylum in the United States back to their home countries, a day after US authorities shut the country’s busiest southern border crossing and fired tear gas into the crowd.
On Sunday, US officials reopened the crossing at the San Ysidro port of entry between San Diego and Tijuana, the most heavily trafficked land border on the West Coast, after shutting it down for several hours.
Trump has vowed that asylum seekers would not be able to easily enter the country illegally. On Monday, The US President threatened to shut down the US-Mexico border, which stretches 2,000 miles (3,200 km).
Trump repeated his call to Congress to fund the border wall as US lawmakers return to Washington on Monday after the US Thanksgiving holiday break. With federal government funding set to expire on December 7, it is unclear whether a federal government shut down will take place unless the wall is funded.
The showdown on Sunday took place at a section of the border where there is already a physical barrier in place.
“Mexico should move the flag waving migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries. Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the USA. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!” Trump tweeted.
Hundreds of caravan members protested on Sunday with chants of “We aren’t criminals! We are hard workers.” As they neared the US border, they were stopped by Mexican authorities, who told them to wait for permission.
While some migrants have been tied to crime, others are Honduran and are fleeing poverty and violence. Many said they would wait in Tijuana until they could request asylum in the US.
Some 5,800 US troops have been stationed at the border to enforce US Customs and Border Protection.
Trump has just a few weeks left to push fellow Republicans to make good on the pledge to fund the border wall before Democrats take control of the US House of Representatives in January.
On Sunday, US and Mexican negotiators discussed a plan to keep migrants in Mexico while their asylum claims are heard. Asylum seekers typically announce their intention at US ports of entry.