How can the refugees be illegal immigrants if they are trying to enter legally?

[LiberalFighter]

And it is Trump that is detaining them in the US against their will.

[meow2u3]

1. Skin color

Also, language spoken. Does this answer your question?

[Karadeniz]

2. Those coming to a port of entry are not illegal. Also, seeking asylum is not illegal.

[Claritie Pixie]

3. Logic! Thank you for pointing this out.

[fescuerescue]

4. They aren't

They are only illegal if they skip the legal part. (as it exists today)

Yes the legal process is long and difficult, but it exists and we are talking about definitions here not proposals nor right vs wrong.

[lunamagica]

6. The legal process exists for the wealthy and yjose well connected. For the rest it is impossible

[Nuggets]

7. The bridges for asylum have been blocked

https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-fg-asylum-list-border-2018-story.html

...But the judge’s ruling didn’t address the administration’s efforts to stop asylum seekers at southern border bridges. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say they have run out of space to process them at border holding areas, most of which they said house fewer than a hundred people.
The agency has stationed officers at bridge midpoints to prevent asylum seekers from entering the U.S. The migrants must add their names to waiting lists in Mexico, a process U.S. officials call “queue management.”

[Grasswire2]

5. But they can't be hated if they are legal!!

I've tried explaining that to deplorables.

No dice.