Q&A: Can Trump stop asylum-seekers?
HOUSTON - President Donald Trump is poised to issue an executive order next week aimed at stopping a caravan of thousands of Central American migrants crossing Mexico toward the United States, many with plans to claim asylum.
In a speech Thursday, Trump provided few specifics about the order but vowed to prevent applicants who are "coached" by attorneys from remaining in the United States while their "fraudulent or meritless asylum claims" are processed.
But that is likely to prove difficult. Here is some background on the asylum process and the obstacles Trump faces.
Q: How do migrants qualify for asylum?
A: Under federal law, immigrants can claim asylum based on a "credible fear" of persecution or harm on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a "particular
