Asylum Protection to end for Central American Migrants

In Trump administration’s latest major attempt to restrict the inflow of migrants coming to the United States, the government could end asylum protections for most of the Central American migrants.

According to a statement from the departments of Justice and Homeland Security on the new rule, if a person seeking asylum at the US southern border, has passed through another country and does not seek asylum there, he will not be eligible for protection in the US. For example, migrants coming from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador cannot seek asylum if they didn't do so in Mexico.

However, there are three exceptions to the rule. Firstly, if the migrant has applied for asylum in another country but denied. Secondly, if a migrant can prove that he/she is a victim of human trafficking and thirdly if migrant entered the US through a country which was not a participant to the 1951 Refugees Convention, the 1967 Protocol, or the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

According to the statement, the rule can come to effect immediately, if it gets published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.