Pandemic likely to see US, Mexico border closed to migrants

Mexico City, Mexico — CORRECTED: US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he plans to limit the entry of people who request asylum, invoking a federal law due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a conference held from the White House, Trump announced that he plans to close the U.S-Mexico border to migrants under a law intended to protect the country from communicable disease. During the conference, Trump said the border would not be closed completely, but would allow the administration to quickly deport migrants and asylum seekers who cross the border illegally.

On the same day, he also announced the closure of the US border with Canada, stressing that the closure will not affect trade.

“We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our northern border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected,” said Trump in a tweet. Later he reported at a press conference at the White House that he hoped to reopen the border “in, say, about 30 days.”

CORRECTION: We had originally written that the closure to migrants had already been enforced.