Trump announces immigration crackdown

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump announced Monday that starting next week, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement will begin deporting millions of immigrants who live in the United States illegally. “Next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States,” the president tweeted, adding that immigrants “will be removed as fast as they come.” He did not offer specifics about how ICE will deport the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

Earlier this month, Mexico reached an agreement with the United States that seeks to cut the flow of migration across the U.S.-Mexico border, avoiding new tariffs on all Mexican imports. Part of the agreement keeps Central American migrants in Mexico while they wait for a decision on U.S. asylum requests.

The Trump administration also announced Monday that the United States will halt new aid to some Central American countries to encourage them to crack down on illegal migration. In March, Trump blocked $615 million in assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said that after a review, previously approved aid will continue. The $432 million from the 2017 budget will pay for health, education, and anti-poverty programs, as well as anti-crime efforts. The United States will withhold $370 million in aid from the 2018 budget. In a tweet, the president said that Guatemala is preparing to sign an agreement to be a safe third country that could receive asylum-seekers from its neighbors.