Newly sworn-in U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would declare illegal immigration a national emergency, send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, and reinstate his "remain in Mexico" policy as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown.

WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump on Monday declared a national border emergency and ordered the U.S. armed forces to repel "forms of invasion" at the U.S.-Mexico border, including illegal migration and drug trafficking.

The Trump administration has essentially eliminated the ability to pursue asylum at the border, attempting to erase by executive order a right established in U.S. and international law. The restrictions leave migrants who claim they fear for their lives almost no path toward safety in the United States.

Hours after Trump’s inauguration, his administration canceled appointments allowing migrants to enter the U.S. to request asylum, leaving many of them stranded on the U.S.-Mexico border.