This is the latest in a series of proposals that Donald Trump has put in place to crack down on what he says is “rampant abuse” of an asylum system “in crisis”.
On Monday, the President signed a memorandum directing his Attorney-General and acting Homeland Security Secretary to charge fees for applications from Central American migrants trying to cross the southern border into the US – many of who are fleeing violence and poverty in their home country.
Right now, asylum and employment applications are free – but Trump is doing his best to curb the huge surge of migrant families coming across the US-Mexico border, which has seen the arrest or denial of entry of more than 100,000 people in March of this year alone.
It’s been a big point of frustration for both Trump’s presidency and his 2020 re-election campaign.
Just last month, he fired his former Homeland Security Secretary after her team wasn’t able to reduce the number of migrants coming in.
The White House hasn’t yet given details on how much applicants might be required to pay under these new laws – but considering so many travelling to the US are fleeing poverty, it’s uncertain how many families would be able to afford the fee.
