President Trump said Thursday that the administration is finalizing a plan that would prevent immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally from receiving asylum.
Why it matters: The briefing comes as Trump continues to make immigration a focal point ahead of the midterm elections and as a caravan of thousands of Central Americans — many of whom are likely to seek asylum — makes its way through Mexico toward the U.S.
Between the lines: While the Immigration and Nationality Act provides any immigrant on U.S. soil the right to seek asylum, regardless of whether they entered the U.S. legally or illegally, it also grants the attorney general the right to decide what crimes disqualify an asylum-seeker. The administration's plan has been previously reported on by CNN and Vox.
More from his speech:
The big picture: The administration has already made it so that victims of domestic abuse or gang violence no longer automatically qualify for asylum. It has also eliminated the right to hearings for certain asylum-seekers. Thousands of U.S. troops are currently on their way to the U.S. border to help immigration officials stop the caravan.
