Jeff Sessions (& others) have even admitted that these detentions, as well as the separations, are used deliberately to scare & deter asylum seekers. This is not the way we're supposed to "process" these folks, even if we are going to refuse them!
& I don't think any underhanded scheme is too far-fetched for this administration!

Not far fetched at all. Surprised we haven't heard about it already.

As the "War on Drugs" was in actuality a way to insure that the privatization of prisons woudl be very profitable, I would not doubt or even be surprised that the Trump crack down on immigrants was also to insure profitability for political donors. Actually, I'd expect that kidn of thing from Trump... but also from republicans in general.