President Donald Trump orders crackdown on 'visa overstays' in latest push against illegal immigration

President Donald Trump opened a new flank in his battle against illegal immigration on Monday when he ordered his administration to crack down on "visa overstays" – foreigners who legally enter the country but remain in the U.S. after their visas expire.

The president signed a memorandum ordering the secretary of state and the secretary of homeland security to submit plans within four months to crack down on overstays, such as punishing countries whose citizens have high rates of overstays and requiring foreign travelers to post "admission bonds" that would be repaid once they leave the country.

The order is the latest example of Trump's renewed push on immigration, following a shakeup of the Department of Homeland Security and his increasing frustration with the rising number of Central American migrants entering the country.

Members of both parties have long complained that overstays are just as problematic as undocumented immigrants who cross the southern border. More than 1.2 million foreigners overstayed their visas from 2016 to 2017, according to the most recent Homeland Security data.

"Although the United States benefits from legitimate (non-immigrant) entry, individuals who abuse the visa process and decline to abide by the terms and conditions of their visas, including their visa departure dates, undermine the integrity of our immigration system and harm the national interest," Trump wrote in his memorandum.
Source: USA Today
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