The Trump administration is developing a new immigration policy that could turn away asylum seekers without interviewing them, according to a report cited by CBS News.The proposed rule was developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under the plan, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials would be allowed to deny an application if they believe it was filed more than a year after the applicant entered the United States. This would bypass the long-standing practice of holding interviews before a decision is made in almost all asylum cases.Applicants whose cases are rejected under this procedure are subsequently deported before immigration courts, where they must argue their cases in a formal legal setting.U.S. immigration law generally prohibits filing an asylum application more than one year after entry, but there are exceptions. These include cases involving serious medical problems, ineffective legal counsel or minor applicants traveling alone. The proposed rule would still allow officers to advance a case to an interview if they believe an exception exists.However, a key change is that officers will be able to rely solely on paperwork to dismiss cases that appear to have exceeded legal time limits, rather than interviewing applicants as part of a preliminary review.A spokesman for USCIS said the administration is looking at different ways to deal with the growing backlog of asylum cases.“This will allow USCIS to avoid wasting time on asylum applications that would otherwise refer immigration proceedings and allow judges to hear illegal aliens’ claims,” the spokesperson said.The statement also said the backlog was caused by “the Biden administration’s dangerous open border policies” and that the administration was reviewing options to resolve more than a million pending claims.The proposal has raised concerns among immigration advocates, who warn it could result in people being pushed into deportation proceedings without being given a proper opportunity to explain delays in making their applications.Conchita Cruz, co-executive director of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, said asylum seekers often have valid reasons for missing the one-year deadline.She added: “The government will change the rules for immigrants who have often been through complex immigration procedures for many years.”Under U.S. law, most people on U.S. soil can request asylum, even if they entered the country illegally. However, they must prove that they are fleeing persecution based on factors such as race, religion, nationality, political opinions or membership in a particular social group. People who are granted asylum can stay in the United States permanently, while those who are rejected are deported.The asylum system has come under increasing pressure in recent years, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services having 1.5 million pending applications as of last year, government data showed. Immigration courts under the Justice Department are also processing a backlog of approximately 3.3 million cases, including 2.3 million asylum-related claims. These delays may encourage immigrants who may not be eligible for protection to remain in the country while their cases are processed.The Trump administration has also pursued agreements with other countries to accept deported asylum seekers, including “safe third country” arrangements that require applicants to seek protection outside the United States, sometimes in countries with controversial human rights records.The administration has also previously frozen asylum applications in certain circumstances, including an Afghan asylum seeker’s involvement in an attack on two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., last year. This suspension was later eased but continues to apply to applicants from the 39 countries listed in the travel ban announcement.
