(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)President Trump ordered major changes to U.S. asylum policies in a White House memo released Monday night, including measures that would charge fees to those applying for humanitarian refuge in the United States. The proposed changes to the asylum system aim to address one of the most confounding aspects of the surge: Families seeking safe passage using long-standing U.S. asylum protections. The moves would prohibit those who have entered the United States illegally from receiving provisional work permits until they have been approved for relief or protection from removal. But Martin said the Trump administration could carry out the changes more quickly if it declares an urgent need. But almost a decade ago, Martin said, asylum cases started to pile up again and the government failed to invest enough in the immigration courts to keep up.

Source: Washington Post April 30, 2019 01:08 UTC