US President Donald Trump on Monday night (local time) introduced sweeping immigration changes and issued a memo for the Attorney General and Homeland Security Secretary.
These include adjudicating asylum applications within 180 days of filing, requiring a fee for asylum applications and work permit applications, and stopping migrants -- who have either entered or attempted to enter the United States illegally -- from receiving work authorization before any relief or protection is granted, according to CNN.
Trump has often expressed his disdain towards migrants entering the United States "illegally" through its southern border.
"The Coyotes and Drug Cartels are in total control of the Mexico side of the Southern Border. They have labs nearby where they make drugs to sell into the US. Mexico, one of the most dangerous country's in the world must eradicate this problem now. Also, stop the MARCH to the U.S," the US President tweeted on Monday night.
"If the Democrats don't give us the votes to change our weak, ineffective and dangerous Immigration Laws, we must fight hard for these votes in the 2020 Election!" he added.
An impasse between the US lawmakers and Trump regarding funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border led to the United States' longest-ever partial government shutdown recently.
Thousands of federal workers went without pay over Christmas break in the United States due to the shutdown.
"The purpose of this memorandum is to strengthen asylum procedures to safeguard our system against rampant abuse of our asylum process," the memo read. The new changes have been made as Trump eyes re-election in the Presidential polls due to take place in 2020.
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