The Trump administration announced a new rule Wednesday that will allow authorities to indefinitely hold in custody migrants crossing into the country illegally.
The rule is subject to clearance by a federal judge as it seeks to replace an existing rule that was born of a court agreement years ago, called the Flores settlement, which limited custody period to 20 days.
The new rule, which is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register soon, will most likely be challenged in courts as have been all other rules and orders by the Trump administration.
“This rule allows the federal government to enforce immigration laws as passed by Congress,” Kevin K. McAleenan, the acting secretary of homeland security, said in a statement.
President Donald Trump has railed against the old rule as “catch and release”, and the new rule was proposed last fall, as part of a chain of rules and regulations intended to end illegal immigration and reform legal immigration.
