At the border, “law and order” looks a lot like chaos

Over recent months the Trump administration has implemented a series of policies designed to sharply reduce the number of people crossing the southern border and applying for asylum in the US. Proponents invariably proclaim that the rule changes are meant to “bring order to the southern border,” “return to the rule of law,” or “enforce our current policies.”

In reality, the rule changes have brought chaos and misery.

The US government’s “remain in Mexico policy” insists that non-Mexican asylum seekers apply for asylum to the US from Mexico rather than from the US, as has long been the practice. A “safe third country transit rule” means that those who don’t apply for asylum in a third country (such as Mexico) cannot apply for asylum in the US. Another rule allows for the US to send migrants to Guatemala to seek asylum there instead of the US, in an agreement with that ill-equipped country’s government.