US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Saturday that separating migrant families at the border could deter illegal immigration and that he was considering several options to tighten border security.

In June, Trump abandoned his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents on the US-Mexico border after images of youngsters in cages sparked outrage at home and abroad.

But some Trump administration officials have said the policy, under which some 2,600 children were separated from their parents, was needed to secure the border and deter illegal immigration.

Trump seemed to support that argument on Saturday.

"If they feel there will be separation, they don't come," he said of migrants during comments to reporters at the White House.

Trump also claimed, without providing evidence, that immigrants were "grabbing children and they're using children to come into our country in many cases." &nbsp;

He stopped short, however, of committing to a new round of family separations.

"We're looking at a lot of different things having to do with illegal immigration," he said, again calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation. "We're going to do whatever we can do to get it slowed down."

A new policy could establish illegal immigration as a major theme in mid-term congressional elections on Nov. 6, when Democrats are seen as having a good chance of regaining control of the House of Representatives.

Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said on Saturday there was a crisis at the US-Mexico border with rising numbers of adults entering the country illegally with children.

"DHS will continue to enforce the law humanely, and will continue to examine a range of options to secure our nation's borders," she said.

Following reports that Trump might again authorize family separations, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jerrold Nadler on Friday called on the administration to "provide a full accounting of their previous failed efforts."

A government audit released earlier this month said the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year was plagued by a lack of preparation, resource shortfalls and communication failures.

The audit found that hundreds of migrant children were detained for longer than the three-day limit allowed at US&nbsp;Border Patrol facilities, including one who was held for 25 days.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that separating migrant families at the border could deter illegal immigration and that he was considering several options to tighten border security.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that separating migrant families at the border could deter illegal immigration and that he was considering several options to tighten border security. In June, Trump abandoned his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents on the US-Mexico border after images of youngsters in cages sparked outrage at home and abroad. But some Trump administration officials have said the policy, under which some 2,600 children were separated from their parents, was needed to secure the border and deter illegal immigration. Trump seemed to support that argument on Saturday. "If they feel there will be separation, they don't come," he said of migrants during comments to reporters at the White House. Trump also claimed, without providing evidence, that immigrants were "grabbing children and they're using children to come into our country in many cases." He stopped short, however, of committing to a new round of family separations. "We're looking at a lot of different things having to do with illegal immigration," he said, again calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation. "We're going to do whatever we can do to get it slowed down." A new policy could establish illegal immigration as a major theme in mid-term congressional elections on Nov. 6, when Democrats are seen as having a good chance of regaining control of the House of Representatives. Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said on Saturday there was a crisis at the US-Mexico border with rising numbers of adults entering the country illegally with children. "DHS will continue to enforce the law humanely, and will continue to examine a range of options to secure our nation's borders," she said. Following reports that Trump might again authorize family separations, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jerrold Nadler on Friday called on the administration to "provide a full accounting of their previous failed efforts." A government audit released earlier this month said the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year was plagued by a lack of preparation, resource shortfalls and communication failures. The audit found that hundreds of migrant children were detained for longer than the three-day limit allowed at US Border Patrol facilities, including one who was held for 25 days.

Trump says separating children from families deters illegal immigration

The USA is the Promised Land for the Indian and Chinese, very much like Israel is for the Jews.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bright minds of India, particularly, the engineers and scientists soon after completing their college education head for the Promised Land. The US is the destination, destiny, the desire. The country is looked upon as the key to all earthly pleasures.

&nbsp;

But all that aspiration and the dreams woven around it stands jeopardised as the Trump administration plans to change H1-B visa rules. If implemented, 5 lakh techies working in the US may have to head back home.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Trump administration is working to prevent an extension of the H1B visa beyond the initial six years period. This means that the indefinite extension on the H1B visa that all applicants to the Green Card previously used to get now will not be available. Consequently, on the completion of the 6 years of H1B visa period, one has to return to one&#39;s homeland. Though no one is still sure as to how the technicality of the entire procedure will work, the reality could well be something similar to self-deportation.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

For an Indian, the average waiting period for the Green Card is about 10 years. If I am giving up my life and profession in the US and coming to back to start fresh in India, why will I take the trouble to go back to the US and start from the scratch?

&nbsp;

The Trump administration is here surely washing its hands off of all the legal immigrants aspiring to be American citizens. The Promised Land stands bereft of all promises if the bills get passed. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

H1-B visa has been at the pivot of controversy through Trump&#39;s presidential campaign, accentuating, particularly, after his ascension to the White House. Trump had been insisting to make immigration in the US a thoroughly merit-based system. He wanted to stop illegal immigration and, as his rhetorics revealed, he was not receptive to the idea of family-based immigration either.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But the crucial point I raised in one of my earlier article which stands even more relevant now with the current pronouncement is how is Trump administration going to reconcile its &quot;Buy American, Hire American&quot; policy with a merit-based immigration strategy.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Allow me to explain. If Trump decided to follow an entirely merit-based immigration system, the administration will have to allow in individuals with highest professional degrees. Their skill being the primary criterion of entry, such people will obviously dominate the job market. Apart from doing away with threats these qualified professional foreign force will pose to US citizens, the Trump administration is forcing corporations to match up with the salaries they are expected to pay to US citizens who come equally qualified for the jobs but were not succeeding because of the low pay scale at which Indian and Chinese usually agreed to work.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The low pay-scale at which Indians agreed to work in the US-based tech companies had earned them the pejorative epithet of &quot;tech coolies&quot;, that is, manual tech labourer or the blue-collar engineers of the tech world. Many have opined that the steps proposed by the Trump administration will force tech companies to pay a more equitable wage that will improve the prospect of American citizens.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But the fallacy of the situation is that the Trump administration is committing is to make salary the basis for judging merit. The High Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act, introduced by Congressperson Zoe Lofgren of California, would raise H-1B holders&#39; minimum salaries to the US $130,000. Doing this would mean, losing out a significant number of talents in the field that are crucial but not well-paid. For instance, the average salary of a fire protection and fuel engineer is $130,000 and $123,000 respectively. Whereas a computer engineer on an average earns $121,245&nbsp; and healthcare facility engineer gets $120,027.

&nbsp;

Clearly, fixing such wage ceiling, along with the proposed H1B Bill, is surely go against India&#39;s interest. This is something which India&#39;s Finance minister Arun Jaitley raised with the US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross in the past.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Interestingly, while the Trump administration and the President himself have shown much keenness in forging a strong bond with India in its fight against terrorism, it is holding no bar to upset its new ally in an economically sensitive issue. It is yet to be seen how the Modi government which has been nothing short of friendly to Trump, a much-hated figure elsewhere, deals with these challenging circumstances.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Trump administration is here surely washing its hands off of all the legal immigrants, meritorious or not, aspiring to be American citizens.

The USA is the Promised Land for the Indian and Chinese, very much like Israel is for the Jews. Bright minds of India, particularly, the engineers and scientists soon after completing their college education head for the Promised Land. The US is the destination, destiny, the desire. The country is looked upon as the key to all earthly pleasures. But all that aspiration and the dreams woven around it stands jeopardised as the Trump administration plans to change H1-B visa rules. If implemented, 5 lakh techies working in the US may have to head back home. Trump administration is working to prevent an extension of the H1B visa beyond the initial six years period. This means that the indefinite extension on the H1B visa that all applicants to the Green Card previously used to get now will not be available. Consequently, on the completion of the 6 years of H1B visa period, one has to return to one's homeland. Though no one is still sure as to how the technicality of the entire procedure will work, the reality could well be something similar to self-deportation. For an Indian, the average waiting period for the Green Card is about 10 years. If I am giving up my life and profession in the US and coming to back to start fresh in India, why will I take the trouble to go back to the US and start from the scratch? The Trump administration is here surely washing its hands off of all the legal immigrants aspiring to be American citizens. The Promised Land stands bereft of all promises if the bills get passed. H1-B visa has been at the pivot of controversy through Trump's presidential campaign, accentuating, particularly, after his ascension to the White House. Trump had been insisting to make immigration in the US a thoroughly merit-based system. He wanted to stop illegal immigration and, as his rhetorics revealed, he was not receptive to the idea of family-based immigration either. But the crucial point I raised in one of my earlier article which stands even more relevant now with the current pronouncement is how is Trump administration going to reconcile its "Buy American, Hire American" policy with a merit-based immigration strategy. Allow me to explain. If Trump decided to follow an entirely merit-based immigration system, the administration will have to allow in individuals with highest professional degrees. Their skill being the primary criterion of entry, such people will obviously dominate the job market. Apart from doing away with threats these qualified professional foreign force will pose to US citizens, the Trump administration is forcing corporations to match up with the salaries they are expected to pay to US citizens who come equally qualified for the jobs but were not succeeding because of the low pay scale at which Indian and Chinese usually agreed to work. The low pay-scale at which Indians agreed to work in the US-based tech companies had earned them the pejorative epithet of "tech coolies", that is, manual tech labourer or the blue-collar engineers of the tech world. Many have opined that the steps proposed by the Trump administration will force tech companies to pay a more equitable wage that will improve the prospect of American citizens. But the fallacy of the situation is that the Trump administration is committing is to make salary the basis for judging merit. The High Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act, introduced by Congressperson Zoe Lofgren of California, would raise H-1B holders' minimum salaries to the US $130,000. Doing this would mean, losing out a significant number of talents in the field that are crucial but not well-paid. For instance, the average salary of a fire protection and fuel engineer is $130,000 and $123,000 respectively. Whereas a computer engineer on an average earns $121,245 and healthcare facility engineer gets $120,027. Clearly, fixing such wage ceiling, along with the proposed H1B Bill, is surely go against India's interest. This is something which India's Finance minister Arun Jaitley raised with the US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross in the past. Interestingly, while the Trump administration and the President himself have shown much keenness in forging a strong bond with India in its fight against terrorism, it is holding no bar to upset its new ally in an economically sensitive issue. It is yet to be seen how the Modi government which has been nothing short of friendly to Trump, a much-hated figure elsewhere, deals with these challenging circumstances. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: New H1B rules may put the 'Promised Land' out of bounds for Indians

&nbsp;A federal court judge in California on Monday blocked an executive order from President Donald Trump to deny some federal grants to so-called sanctuary cities, undermining the administration&#39;s crackdown on illegal immigration.

The judge, who blocked the order provisionally in April, issued a permanent injunction in the suit brought by the city and county of San Francisco and Santa Clara County, which said the order was unconstitutional.

&quot;The Counties have demonstrated that the Executive Order has caused and will cause them constitutional injuries by violating the separation of powers doctrine and depriving them of their Tenth and Fifth Amendment rights,&quot; U.S. District Judge William Orrick for the Northern District of California wrote in his order.

Trump issued the order in January, shortly after he was inaugurated, slashing funding to jurisdictions that refuse to comply with a statute that requires local governments to share information with U.S. immigration authorities.

As part of that policy, the Justice Department has sought to punish cities and other local jurisdictions that have joined a growing &quot;sanctuary&quot; movement aimed at shielding illegal immigrants from stepped-up deportation efforts.

&quot;The district court exceeded its authority today when it barred the president from instructing his cabinet members to enforce existing law,&quot; Department of Justice spokesman Devin O&rsquo;Malley said in a statement. &quot;The Justice Department will vindicate the president&rsquo;s lawful authority to direct the executive branch.&quot;

The department has already appealed the judge&#39;s prior ruling from April.

The Trump administration contends local authorities endanger public safety when they decline to hand over for deportation illegal immigrants arrested for crimes.

Dozens of local governments and cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, have joined the growing &quot;sanctuary&quot; movement.

Supporters of the sanctuary policy argue enlisting police cooperation in rounding up immigrants for removal undermines communities&#39; trust in local police, particularly among Latinos.

The Justice Department is concerned about localities&#39; compliance with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to detain people up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release time so that immigration officials can pick them up.

Some cities say they will only honor such requests when accompanied by criminal warrants, and that compliance is voluntary and not required under the statute.

Chicago also sued the federal government in August over the threats of funding cuts by the Justice Department. A federal judge sided with the city in September and issued a preliminary injunction barring the U.S. government from denying the public-safety grants.

The judge issued a permanent injunction in the suit brought by the city and county of San Francisco and Santa Clara County

A federal court judge in California on Monday blocked an executive order from President Donald Trump to deny some federal grants to so-called sanctuary cities, undermining the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. The judge, who blocked the order provisionally in April, issued a permanent injunction in the suit brought by the city and county of San Francisco and Santa Clara County, which said the order was unconstitutional. "The Counties have demonstrated that the Executive Order has caused and will cause them constitutional injuries by violating the separation of powers doctrine and depriving them of their Tenth and Fifth Amendment rights," U.S. District Judge William Orrick for the Northern District of California wrote in his order. Trump issued the order in January, shortly after he was inaugurated, slashing funding to jurisdictions that refuse to comply with a statute that requires local governments to share information with U.S. immigration authorities. As part of that policy, the Justice Department has sought to punish cities and other local jurisdictions that have joined a growing "sanctuary" movement aimed at shielding illegal immigrants from stepped-up deportation efforts. "The district court exceeded its authority today when it barred the president from instructing his cabinet members to enforce existing law," Department of Justice spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement. "The Justice Department will vindicate the president’s lawful authority to direct the executive branch." The department has already appealed the judge's prior ruling from April. The Trump administration contends local authorities endanger public safety when they decline to hand over for deportation illegal immigrants arrested for crimes. Dozens of local governments and cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, have joined the growing "sanctuary" movement. Supporters of the sanctuary policy argue enlisting police cooperation in rounding up immigrants for removal undermines communities' trust in local police, particularly among Latinos. The Justice Department is concerned about localities' compliance with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to detain people up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release time so that immigration officials can pick them up. Some cities say they will only honor such requests when accompanied by criminal warrants, and that compliance is voluntary and not required under the statute. Chicago also sued the federal government in August over the threats of funding cuts by the Justice Department. A federal judge sided with the city in September and issued a preliminary injunction barring the U.S. government from denying the public-safety grants.

US judge in California blocks Trump's order on sanctuary cities

Donald Trump&#39;s attorney general warned US cities that turning a blind eye to illegal migrants could jeopardise billions in federal funding, as the administration doubled down on tough immigration policies Monday.

Jeff Sessions demanded so-called &quot;sanctuary cities&quot; -- from Boston to Chicago to Los Angeles -- do more to turn illegal immigrants over to the federal authorities for deportation.

&quot;The Department of Justice has a duty to enforce our nation&#39;s laws, including our immigration laws,&quot; he said from the White House. &quot;Unfortunately, some states and cities have adopted policies designed to frustrate this enforcement of immigration laws.&quot;

The Justice Department would work to claw back grants worth around $4.1 billion a year, he warned.

The 70-year-old former senator zeroed in on the issue of illegal immigrants who have been convicted or detained on suspicion of serious crimes.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has a long voting record&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Domestic/Jeff_Sessions_Civil_Rights.htm" target="_blank">opposing </a>civil rights. Yesterday he walked away from a question posed to him by a black reporter about the white supremacist&nbsp;who confessed to murdering a black man to &quot;send a message&quot; in New York City.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
AG Sessions ran out as black reporter asked about White Supremacist who killed black man in NYC: &quot;Is that a hate crime, sir?&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PressBriefing?src=hash">#PressBriefing</a> <a href="https://t.co/MISjILlFpD">pic.twitter.com/MISjILlFpD</a>
&mdash; Deep South Daily (@DeepSouthDaily) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeepSouthDaily/status/846421426605297668">March 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#39;s backers in the far right-wing media often feature stories about Hispanic immigrants who have committed violent crimes while in the country illegally. Jeff Sessions echoed this.

He cited examples of those involved in &quot;drug trafficking, hit and run, rape, sex offenses against a child and even murder&quot;.

&quot;Assaults, burglaries, drug crimes, gang rapes, crimes against children and murderers,&quot; Sessions said.

&quot;Countless Americans would be alive today and countless loved ones would not be grieving today if these policies of sanctuary cities were ended.&quot; &quot;These policies endanger lives of every American,&quot; he added.

The Trump administration is trying to force local police to keep immigrants detained until the immigration authorities -- with their more limited resources -- can show up.

However, the administration&#39;s critics accuses it of creating a climate of fear, and falsely associating immigrants with criminality.&nbsp;They point to multiple studies that show immigrants commit crime at lower rates than native-born citizens.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&#39;Police state&#39;

The Lawyers&#39; Committee for Civil Rights accused Sessions of trying to &quot;create a police state&quot; where local law enforcement &quot;are acting at the behest of the federal government to round up immigrants in communities across the country&quot;.

Some local law enforcement officials in cities with large migrant populations warn that such a policy would poison community relations.

In January, police chiefs from major cities stressed they wanted to tackle crime, whoever carries it out.

&quot;Cities that aim to build trusting and supportive relations with immigrant communities should not be punished because this is essential to reducing crime and helping victims,&quot; the group said in a joint statement with mayors.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti gave an equally strident response, accusing Sessions of trying to push local authorities into unconstitutional actions.

&quot;LA&#39;s values are not for sale,&quot; he said. &quot;There are constitutional protections against the kind of punitive, counterproductive actions proposed today by the attorney general.&quot;

&quot;Slashing funds for first responders, for our port and airport, for counterterrorism, crime fighting and community building serves no one -- not this city, not the federal government, not the American people.&quot;

San Francisco insisted that &quot;sanctuary cities are safer cities&quot;.

&quot;When immigrants can enrol their children in school, access health care for vaccinations, and report crimes, our city and county is safer,&quot; said Deirdre Hussey, spokeswoman for San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

&quot;It is shocking that the US attorney general, the nation&#39;s top law enforcement official, does not agree with this basic principle of public safety.&quot;

The debate is unlikely to be resolved soon, with many legal issues expected to be taken up in the courts.

Legal experts question whether immigration offenses should be treated as criminal acts or whether so-called detainer orders from the federal authorities provide legal grounds for local detention.

(AFP)

Jeff Sessions, like far-right media, focused on aggressive crimes committed by immigrants even though reports say this link is unfounded

Donald Trump's attorney general warned US cities that turning a blind eye to illegal migrants could jeopardise billions in federal funding, as the administration doubled down on tough immigration policies Monday. Jeff Sessions demanded so-called "sanctuary cities" -- from Boston to Chicago to Los Angeles -- do more to turn illegal immigrants over to the federal authorities for deportation. "The Department of Justice has a duty to enforce our nation's laws, including our immigration laws," he said from the White House. "Unfortunately, some states and cities have adopted policies designed to frustrate this enforcement of immigration laws." The Justice Department would work to claw back grants worth around $4.1 billion a year, he warned. The 70-year-old former senator zeroed in on the issue of illegal immigrants who have been convicted or detained on suspicion of serious crimes. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has a long voting record opposing civil rights. Yesterday he walked away from a question posed to him by a black reporter about the white supremacist who confessed to murdering a black man to "send a message" in New York City. AG Sessions ran out as black reporter asked about White Supremacist who killed black man in NYC: "Is that a hate crime, sir?" #PressBriefing pic.twitter.com/MISjILlFpD — Deep South Daily (@DeepSouthDaily) March 27, 2017 × Trump's backers in the far right-wing media often feature stories about Hispanic immigrants who have committed violent crimes while in the country illegally. Jeff Sessions echoed this. He cited examples of those involved in "drug trafficking, hit and run, rape, sex offenses against a child and even murder". "Assaults, burglaries, drug crimes, gang rapes, crimes against children and murderers," Sessions said. "Countless Americans would be alive today and countless loved ones would not be grieving today if these policies of sanctuary cities were ended." "These policies endanger lives of every American," he added. The Trump administration is trying to force local police to keep immigrants detained until the immigration authorities -- with their more limited resources -- can show up. However, the administration's critics accuses it of creating a climate of fear, and falsely associating immigrants with criminality. They point to multiple studies that show immigrants commit crime at lower rates than native-born citizens. 'Police state' The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights accused Sessions of trying to "create a police state" where local law enforcement "are acting at the behest of the federal government to round up immigrants in communities across the country". Some local law enforcement officials in cities with large migrant populations warn that such a policy would poison community relations. In January, police chiefs from major cities stressed they wanted to tackle crime, whoever carries it out. "Cities that aim to build trusting and supportive relations with immigrant communities should not be punished because this is essential to reducing crime and helping victims," the group said in a joint statement with mayors. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti gave an equally strident response, accusing Sessions of trying to push local authorities into unconstitutional actions. "LA's values are not for sale," he said. "There are constitutional protections against the kind of punitive, counterproductive actions proposed today by the attorney general." "Slashing funds for first responders, for our port and airport, for counterterrorism, crime fighting and community building serves no one -- not this city, not the federal government, not the American people." San Francisco insisted that "sanctuary cities are safer cities". "When immigrants can enrol their children in school, access health care for vaccinations, and report crimes, our city and county is safer," said Deirdre Hussey, spokeswoman for San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. "It is shocking that the US attorney general, the nation's top law enforcement official, does not agree with this basic principle of public safety." The debate is unlikely to be resolved soon, with many legal issues expected to be taken up in the courts. Legal experts question whether immigration offenses should be treated as criminal acts or whether so-called detainer orders from the federal authorities provide legal grounds for local detention. (AFP)

US attorney general threatens to make city funding conditional on kicking out illegal immigrants

The United States is considering separating immigrant children from their parents in a bid to deter illegal migration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly said Monday.

Kelly, in an interview with CNN, was asked whether DHS was weighing an initiative that would split children from their parents if they were caught trying to enter the US illegally.

&quot;I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States,&quot; Kelly said. &quot;We have tremendous experience in dealing with unaccompanied minors,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

He noted the DHS turns them over to the Health and Human Services department, which puts the children in foster care or links them with parents or family members in the United States.

&quot;Yes, I am considering, in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network, I am considering exactly that. They will be well-cared for as we deal with their parents.&quot;

The<a href="http://nypost.com/2017/03/06/homeland-security-chief-considering-separating-illegal-immigrant-kids-from-parents/" target="_blank"> New York Post</a> reports that Homeland Security officials say that people trying to sneak into the US bring along kids to take advantage of the system, which allows adults with children to stay in the country until their case is heard.&nbsp;

The New York Post says that tens of thousands of parents and children mostly fleeing violence in Central American countries have been caught trying to cross into the US illegally in recent years. While the families are usually detained for a few days or week before an immigration judge decides their case. If their case goes to a federal immigration court, it can take years.

One unnamed official told CNN, &quot;We are seeing kids essentially kidnapped and used to get here and stay,&quot; The report said.

The proposal would allow&nbsp;US immigration officials to keep the children separated from the adults who brought them to the US, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/03/politics/dhs-children-adults-border/" target="_blank">CNN </a>reports. The adults could be kept in detention, while the children could be moved elsewhere under protected status, possibly with family already in the US or in state protective custody, such as the child protective services, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/03/politics/dhs-children-adults-border/" target="_blank">CNN reports</a>.

&nbsp;

President Donald Trump ran on a platform arguing that mass immigration by unskilled workers costs US taxpayers billions of dollars and depresses wages and job opportunities.

He vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border to keep out migrants he branded drug-dealers, murderers and rapists.

Federal agents in recent weeks have launched sweeps across the country to round up undocumented immigrants.

Kelly spoke after Trump earlier in the day signed a revised ban on refugees and on travellers from six Muslim-majority nations.

With his first executive order rejected by federal courts, the new, scaled-back order freezes refugee admissions for 120 days and halts new visas for Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Somalis, Yemenis and Sudanese citizens for 90 days.

The order takes effect March 16.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

'Yes...I am considering exactly that. They will be well-cared for as we deal with their parents,' said Homeland Security chief John Kelly

The United States is considering separating immigrant children from their parents in a bid to deter illegal migration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly said Monday. Kelly, in an interview with CNN, was asked whether DHS was weighing an initiative that would split children from their parents if they were caught trying to enter the US illegally. "I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States," Kelly said. "We have tremendous experience in dealing with unaccompanied minors," he said. He noted the DHS turns them over to the Health and Human Services department, which puts the children in foster care or links them with parents or family members in the United States. "Yes, I am considering, in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network, I am considering exactly that. They will be well-cared for as we deal with their parents." The New York Post reports that Homeland Security officials say that people trying to sneak into the US bring along kids to take advantage of the system, which allows adults with children to stay in the country until their case is heard. The New York Post says that tens of thousands of parents and children mostly fleeing violence in Central American countries have been caught trying to cross into the US illegally in recent years. While the families are usually detained for a few days or week before an immigration judge decides their case. If their case goes to a federal immigration court, it can take years. One unnamed official told CNN, "We are seeing kids essentially kidnapped and used to get here and stay," The report said. The proposal would allow US immigration officials to keep the children separated from the adults who brought them to the US, CNN reports. The adults could be kept in detention, while the children could be moved elsewhere under protected status, possibly with family already in the US or in state protective custody, such as the child protective services, CNN reports. President Donald Trump ran on a platform arguing that mass immigration by unskilled workers costs US taxpayers billions of dollars and depresses wages and job opportunities. He vowed to build a wall on the Mexican border to keep out migrants he branded drug-dealers, murderers and rapists. Federal agents in recent weeks have launched sweeps across the country to round up undocumented immigrants. Kelly spoke after Trump earlier in the day signed a revised ban on refugees and on travellers from six Muslim-majority nations. With his first executive order rejected by federal courts, the new, scaled-back order freezes refugee admissions for 120 days and halts new visas for Syrians, Iranians, Libyans, Somalis, Yemenis and Sudanese citizens for 90 days. The order takes effect March 16. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US mulls separating children of illegal immigrants from parents caught at Mexico border

With many countries across the world worrying that migration is running out of control, Mexico&#39;s President Enrique Pena Nieto took an opposing stand.&nbsp; 
 
In an address at the United Nations summit on migrants and refugees on Monday, Pena Nieto said the history has proven that efforts to stop immigration and the mix of cultures are bound to fail. 
 
&quot;History shows that there are no barriers that can stop either the movement of people or the fusion of cultures,&quot; he said. 
 
Pena Nieto&#39;s popularity took a hit in his country for hosting Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump on August 31.&nbsp; 
 
Trump&#39;s tirade against immigrants and his vows to build a border wall with Mexico has become an issue in both the countries.&nbsp; 
 
Pena Nieto asserted, &quot;Neither natural nor artificial barriers hold sway. For every river there has always been a bridge. For every obstacle there has always been a way forward. Movement is an essential part of human existence.&quot; 
 
Trump has infuriated Mexicans with a series of verbal attacks against the United States&#39; southern neighbor. 
 
&quot;We are a proudly mestizo, multi-cultural and diverse nation,&quot; Pena Nieto said, referring to Mexican of mixed descent. 
 
&quot;We Mexicans firmly believe that this mestizo fusion is the future and destiny of human kind.&quot; 
 
At the summit, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development urged Western governments to help newcomers integrate faster to tackle the growing anti-migrant backlash.&nbsp; 
 
It presented a report to the UN saying the newcomers included a record 1.65 million registered new asylum seekers, nearly 1.3 million of them in Europe. 
 
&quot;The public is losing faith in the capacity of governments to manage migration,&quot; the OECD&#39;s International Migration Outlook report warned. 
 
Citizens of host countries worry that public services are overstretched, that immigration only benefits the rich and that migrants do not want to integrate, the OECD&#39;s director for employment, labour and social affairs, Stefano Scarpetta said. 
 
This includes recognising that large numbers of low-skilled migrants arriving in an area could damage the job prospects of low-skilled locals. 
 
&quot;The big task, the big challenge now is integration,&quot; OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said at the launch of the report in Paris. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

President Pena Nieto's meeting with Donald Trump, despite his talk of a border wall with Mexico, has infuriated Mexicans

With many countries across the world worrying that migration is running out of control, Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto took an opposing stand. In an address at the United Nations summit on migrants and refugees on Monday, Pena Nieto said the history has proven that efforts to stop immigration and the mix of cultures are bound to fail. "History shows that there are no barriers that can stop either the movement of people or the fusion of cultures," he said. Pena Nieto's popularity took a hit in his country for hosting Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump on August 31. Trump's tirade against immigrants and his vows to build a border wall with Mexico has become an issue in both the countries. Pena Nieto asserted, "Neither natural nor artificial barriers hold sway. For every river there has always been a bridge. For every obstacle there has always been a way forward. Movement is an essential part of human existence." Trump has infuriated Mexicans with a series of verbal attacks against the United States' southern neighbor. "We are a proudly mestizo, multi-cultural and diverse nation," Pena Nieto said, referring to Mexican of mixed descent. "We Mexicans firmly believe that this mestizo fusion is the future and destiny of human kind." At the summit, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development urged Western governments to help newcomers integrate faster to tackle the growing anti-migrant backlash. It presented a report to the UN saying the newcomers included a record 1.65 million registered new asylum seekers, nearly 1.3 million of them in Europe. "The public is losing faith in the capacity of governments to manage migration," the OECD's International Migration Outlook report warned. Citizens of host countries worry that public services are overstretched, that immigration only benefits the rich and that migrants do not want to integrate, the OECD's director for employment, labour and social affairs, Stefano Scarpetta said. This includes recognising that large numbers of low-skilled migrants arriving in an area could damage the job prospects of low-skilled locals. "The big task, the big challenge now is integration," OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said at the launch of the report in Paris. (WION with inputs from agencies)

No barriers can stop immigration: Mexican President at UN migration summit

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reasserted his hardline position against illegal immigrants in the country, hours after he came back from Mexico having met president Enrique Pena Nieto.&nbsp; 
 
Reiterating his plans to curb illegal immigration into the country, Trump said he would &quot;build a great wall along the southern border&quot; if he came to power. 
 
&quot;And Mexico will pay for the wall -- 100 per cent. They don&#39;t know it yet but they are going to pay for the wall,&quot; he said while making a public speech in Arizona. 
 
The statement comes some time after Mexican president Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting that Mexico would not incur the costs of building the wall. 
 
&quot;At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall,&quot; Pena Nieto had said in a tweet. 
 
Trump, meanwhile, adopted a tough stance in Arizona against the &quot;11 million&quot; illegal immigrants in the US. 
 
He said people will be have to return to their home country and re-apply again to enter the United States.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Our message to the world will be this: You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country,&quot; Trump said. 
 
&quot;People will know you can`t just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized,&quot; he said. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's comments come hours after Mexican president refused to pay for the wall

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reasserted his hardline position against illegal immigrants in the country, hours after he came back from Mexico having met president Enrique Pena Nieto. Reiterating his plans to curb illegal immigration into the country, Trump said he would "build a great wall along the southern border" if he came to power. "And Mexico will pay for the wall -- 100 per cent. They don't know it yet but they are going to pay for the wall," he said while making a public speech in Arizona. The statement comes some time after Mexican president Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting that Mexico would not incur the costs of building the wall. "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto had said in a tweet. Trump, meanwhile, adopted a tough stance in Arizona against the "11 million" illegal immigrants in the US. He said people will be have to return to their home country and re-apply again to enter the United States. "Our message to the world will be this: You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country," Trump said. "People will know you can`t just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," he said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Mexico will pay for border wall: Trump

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