U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made a fundamental change in processing asylum applications. The interim rule, which took effect on July 27, gives USCIS officers the authority to forward cases directly to immigration court judges without interviewing the applicants.
444,000 applications to go directly to court
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that the rule is expected to affect 444,724 files out of a backlog of roughly 1.4 million applications. The department noted that the change would allow for the faster identification and deportation of foreigners who pose a threat to public safety.
Edlow: 'The system was being abused'
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said while announcing the new rule, "For too long, the asylum system has been abused to prolong the process and obtain work permits, rather than to protect those in genuine need of protection." Edlow stated that resources would be redirected to cases that need timely review and that the system's use as a loophole would be prevented.
Human rights groups react
Robin Barnard, vice president for refugee and migrant rights at Human Rights First, sharply criticized the rule. Barnard said, "They are eliminating the right to a fair hearing in order to clear the backlog. Their goal is to deny people en masse and deport them en masse, rather than give them a chance to be heard in court."
Experts stress that this practice will increase the pressure on immigration courts to quickly deny cases and seriously reduce applicants' chances of receiving asylum. The files are expected to be sent to immigration courts, which are under pressure to accelerate deportation orders, without any interview.
Toughening of immigration policy continues
This move is seen as part of the Trump administration's anti-immigrant policies. After the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which previously covered hundreds of thousands of people from Haiti, Venezuela, and other countries, many immigrants who lost their status applied for asylum.
