WASHINGTON – A Trump administration policy of quickly expelling most migrants stopped along the border because of the COVID-19 pandemic was indefinitely extended Tuesday, with a top U.S.
health official arguing that what had been a short-term order was still needed to protect the country from the virus. The order issued by Dr.
Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, authorizes Customs and Border Protection to immediately remove migrants, including people seeking asylum, as a way to prevent the potential spread of the virus while in custody.
President Donald Trump issued the initial 30-day order in March, and it was extended for another month in April. The new version notably has no fixed end date,