Trump press conference: President announces 'violence' from caravan will be met with radical military response
Remarks come as caravan of refugees and migrants makes its way slowly to the US-Mexico border
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Donald Trump has suggested stone-throwing migrants making it to the US-Mexico border might be shot by the US military, as he unveiled a proposal to limit the right to apply for asylum.
In a speech at the White House filled with several falsehoods, the president said he was seeking to limit asylum claims only to those who applied at legal entry points. He claimed the move was necessary because a series of migrant caravans – still up to a 1,000 miles from the border – was considered by some people to be “an invasion”.
“Asylum is not a programme for those living in poverty. There are billions of people in the world living at the poverty level. The United States cannot possibly absorb them all,” he said.
Mr Trump has ramped up his tough stance on illegal immigration, an issue that appeals to his core supporters, before crucial midterm elections on Tuesday that will decide if his Republican Party keep control of Congress.
“Asylum is a very specific protection based on those fleeing persecution.”
The migrants making their way northwards have come largely from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, all of which suffer from poverty and high levels of violence.
Honduran migrant caravan heads to the US
Show all 20He said some had thrown stones at, and attacked Mexican police and troops – a reference to clashes between Mexican security forces and up to 1,500 migrants at the Guatemala-Mexico border, that left one migrant dead. Meanwhile, even as the number of migrants attached to the original caravan continues to dwindle, a third group of around 500 migrants from El Salvador entered Guatemala last weekend.
“I hope there won’t be that. But I will tell you this, anybody throwing stones, rocks like they did to Mexico … Where they badly hurt police and soldiers of Mexico – we will consider that a firearm,” the president said.
“Because there’s not much difference when you get hit in the face with a rock.”
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Mr Trump says that anyone throwing "stones and rocks" like they did in Mexico - they will "consider it a firearm".
Mr Trump promises an executive order "sometime next week" and it will be "quite comprehensive."
Back to the rocks - Mr Trump says "if they want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back".
Mr Trump says he wants it considered a "rifle."
Mr trump says that illegal migrant families will be held "together" in tents.
That is in relation to the policy Mr Trump ended earlier this year, after an outcry.
We are onto other topics:
Mr Trump says State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert is under "serious consideration" to become US ambassador to the UN
Talking about the governor race in Georgia, where Stacey Abrams is looking to become the first black female governor in US history, Mr Trump says Ms Abrams is "not qualified" "by any stretch of the imagination."
Ms Abrams is a Yale-educated lawyer who served as minority leader in the state legislature.
Ms Abrams was supported by Oprah Winfrey at stops today.
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