Border measures part of Trump's bigger immigration crackdown

WASHINGTON (AP) " The zero tolerance policy that led to the separations is just one way the Trump administration is working to harden the nation's immigration system.

Officials are carving a path around various court rulings to do so. They're also expanding detention space, tightening asylum rules and are applying more scrutiny to green card applications.

The administration's attempts to deter Central American families and children from making the trip north is sending home that larger message to immigrants " and Trump's supporters " that reaching the United States is going to get harder, and so will getting papers to stay in the country legally.

Other administrations faced similar problems with illegal immigration and tried similar solutions, but all have been unable to stem the flow of migrants streaming through southern border.