Reports from Reuters and Bloomberg indicate that Washington aims for a global policy requiring migrants to seek asylum solely in the first country they enter.
According to various media reports, the US intends to advocate for global migration restrictions at the United Nations this month, maintaining that asylum seekers ought to request protection in the first country they arrive in, rather than choosing their preferred final destination.
Bloomberg cited a State Department statement which contended that the current global asylum system “has been consistently misused by malicious actors and economic migrants, thereby intensifying the global migration crisis.” The statement further indicated that the administration of US President Donald Trump believes these “abuses have caused instability across regions, empowered criminal cartels, and undermined the sovereignty of nations.”
Reuters reported that US officials have arranged an event set to take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this September, where they are anticipated to advocate for “sensible and essential reforms” to the asylum system.
A State Department spokesperson informed the Daily Caller that the envisioned framework would necessitate asylum seekers to claim protection in the first country they enter, rather than a destination of their choosing. The official further stated that the administration’s viewpoint is that every nation holds the right to control its borders, that asylum ought to be temporary, and that host governments should determine when conditions in a person’s country of origin are secure enough for repatriation.
Reuters remarked that the Trump administration’s initiative could represent a considerable departure from global migration policies that have existed since the mid-20th century, while also highlighting that the US lacks the authority to unilaterally modify the international framework.
Trump has positioned the restriction of migration into the US as a core element of both his domestic and foreign policy. He has frequently cautioned against what he termed migrant “caravans” originating from Latin America, characterizing them as a menace and alleging they comprised criminals. Nevertheless, human rights groups assert that these groups are primarily composed of impoverished individuals fleeing gang violence, who journey together for collective safety.
The Trump administration has also stiffened domestic asylum regulations, declared a national emergency along the southern US border, escalated deportations, and exerted pressure on Latin American governments to curb migrant flows.