One Down, One to Go: Fixing the Asylum problem

The asylum system is one of the key factors behind the  flood of migrants from Central America overwhelming US's immigration systems. After receiving 490,000 new asylum-seekers since the beginning of 2019, it's evident that "humanitarian reasons" are a bad and fuzzy concept to handle immigration from failed countries south of the Rio Grande border.

The Democratic La Raza-lobbied Congress must be forced to act in putting strict restrictions to asylum eligibility.  Economic need or general insecurity are unacceptable, unworkable criteria to accept migrants, much less minors. 

Mexico has responded to the menace of crippling tariffs with a promise of militarizing its Southern border sending 6,000 troops of its newly created National Guard. Wall Street Journal specialized editor in Latin America Maria Anastasia O'Grady and former Mexico's Foreign Minister under Vicente Fox, Carlos Castaneda have pointed out to Mexico's evident lack of institutional capacity and spotty record of following through its US agreements as major factors that make the new agreement unlikely to succeed. 

The alternative of the current status quo is unsustainable and much worse. Economic pressure will certainly work better than words and paper to make Mexico act on at least part of its commitments.

Now is time to turn to fixing US's institutional weaknesses: asylum and enforcement.

Here are some concrete proposals to do it.