President Trump is considering a complete shut down of the southern US border to Central American immigrants and the deployment of 1,000 troops to the region in advance of a “caravan” of migrants seeking asylum, a report said Thursday.
Trump is weighing an executive order that would deny the immigrant caravan — which is about 900 miles away from the border — an opportunity to apply for asylum once they arrive, according to The Washington Post.
The additional troops would be expected to assist security operations in the region. Thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed there since April.
The migrant group seeking asylum has reportedly dwindled to about 2,000 people.
Foreign nationals fleeing unsafe conditions have the right to apply for asylum at the US border under US law.
The White House is expected to cite national security as the reason to halt the asylum applications.
Trump and Vice President Pence have argued that criminals and “Middle Easterners” among the migrants seek asylum.
The report about the executive order came Thursday as Trump tweeted his request for the migrants to go home.
“To those in the Caravan, turnaround, we are not letting people into the United States illegally,” he wrote.
“Go back to your Country and if you want, apply for citizenship like millions of others are doing!”



