Sessions orders ‘zero tolerance’ policy for border crossers
SAN DIEGO — Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday ordered a “zero tolerance” policy aimed at people entering the United States illegally for the first time on the Mexican border.
Sessions told federal prosecutors in border districts to put more emphasis on charging people with illegal entry, which has historically been treated as a misdemeanouroffence for those with few or no previous encounters with border authorities. Smugglers and frequent offenders are usually charged with more serious crimes.
His one-page order lacks specifics on how the policy will be carried out but signals that major change is in the works. He tells prosecutors to ask for additional resources if needed to prosecute cases.
The move caps a week of unusually intense attention to border security that included President Donald Trump’s order for thousands of National Guard members to head to the border.