U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a long-needed policy change to reduce immigration case backlog. USCIS will now be eliminating interviews used by illegal aliens to get two different chances at claiming asylum.
Previously, USCIS adjudicated “affirmative” asylum claims brought by foreign nationals not facing deportation. The “defensive” asylum claims, which were brought by illegal aliens facing deportation, were left to immigration judges. After USCIS interviewed an asylum seeker, they would either be adjudicated by USCIS or referred to an immigration judge, depending on their immigration status. Illegal aliens used this process to effectively apply for asylum twice.
USCIS will no longer interview aliens before referring cases to immigration judges. This will significantly reduce the time it takes to process asylum applications. Reducing the asylum backlog is crucial to securing our border and removing foreigners who have no right to be in the United States.
During the open-borders Biden administration, the Left’s strategy was to overwhelm America’s immigration system. By allowing millions of illegal aliens to enter the country, they created a backlog so massive that enforcement became nearly impossible. Once caught crossing the border or facing deportation, many illegal aliens filed meritless asylum claims to delay removal. With immigration courts buried under an avalanche of cases, the system became easy to exploit, allowing countless illegal aliens to remain in the United States for years.
Once the backlog is remedied, the system will be far more effective at denying frivolous asylum claims. Faster decisions mean more removal orders can be issued and enforced, restoring credibility to our immigration system. Streamlining the process also strengthens our ability to handle future surges in illegal immigration without allowing the system to become overwhelmed again. These are the kinds of reforms needed to prevent opportunists from exploiting America’s asylum laws to gain entry and remain in the country.
Decades of corruption, neglect, and sabotage have turned America’s immigration system into a revolving door. Americans deserve better—we deserve a government that ensures anyone who enters our country has a valid reason. Strong immigration enforcement in both the interior and at the border is not optional.