The Trump administration's effort to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico explicitly targets Spanish-speakers and people from Latin America.
Internal guidelines obtained by The Associated Press also say those who cross illegally must have come as single adults, though the administration is in talks with Mexico to include families. LGBT asylum seekers, pregnant women and those with medical issues are also not to be sent back to Mexico.
The policy launched in San Diego in January is a top priority for U.S. officials to address the burgeoning number of Central Americans arriving at the U.S. border.
The instructions say Mexican officials insist that no more than 20 asylum seekers are returned each day from San Diego to Tijuana, Mexico, underscoring challenges that the U.S. faces with the effort.
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We are on track to APPREHEND more than one million people coming across the Southern Border this year. Great job by Border Patrol (and others) who are working in a Broken System. Can be fixed by Congress so easily and quickly if only the Democrats would get on board!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2019
