Dem
47
GOP
53
The various XOs that Donald Trump has signed are starting to take effect. In practice, the Mexican border has now been shut down. Agents have been asked to query potential immigrants if they have been in a country with a communicable disease. No matter what country they name, they are denied entry because all countries have some communicable diseases. The only people who have the authority to allow anyone in are the head of the Border Patrol, Mike Banks, and his deputy. No other agent may allow anyone in.
Mexican citizens are denied entry and, since they are already in Mexico, they are just released. Citizens of other countries are being held and will be returned to their homelands by air. This procedure will increase the number of detainees in the coming weeks until procedures can be worked out to return them. ICE is working on doubling its holding capacity by building four new 10,000-bed facilities and 14 smaller ones that will hold up to 1,000 immigrants.
In addition, Trump is planning to send 10,000 troops to the southern border to work with the 19,000 Border Patrol agents. The military will also send drones and other equipment as well.
Earlier this week, Trump fired the Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Linda Fagan and replaced her with Adm. Kevin Lunday as acting commandant. He immediately sent boats, aircraft, and special forces to the U.S. maritime borders. In particular, he is aiming to block Haitian and Cuban migration by sea and other migration in what Trump calls the Gulf of America, but is actually the Gulf of Mexico. (V)