The Trump administration has introduced a new immigration policy that could subject hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers in the United States to expedited deportation without an opportunity to present their cases in court.
The rule, which took effect immediately on Tuesday, is aimed at reducing the massive backlog of asylum applications pending before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The agency currently has around 1.4 million pending asylum claims, and officials estimate that nearly one-third of them—approximately 444,725 cases—will be transferred directly to immigration judges within the Department of Justice.
Under the new process, immigration judges will be able to deny asylum applications and issue removal orders without holding individual hearings, significantly accelerating deportation proceedings.
USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow defended the policy, saying the asylum system has been exploited for years by individuals seeking to delay deportation and obtain work authorization rather than pursue legitimate protection claims.
The Trump administration argues that human smugglers have overwhelmed the asylum system with weak applications, using lengthy legal procedures to help migrants remain in the country.
However, immigration lawyers and advocacy groups have strongly criticized the move. Their concerns have intensified following recent Supreme Court decisions affecting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian nationals.
Immigration attorney Ira Kurzban accused the administration of violating the 1967 United Nations Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. He argued that the policy effectively transforms the U.S. asylum system into a mechanism for mass deportation while stripping legally protected individuals of their rights.
Immigrant rights advocates also warned that many people fleeing persecution are unfamiliar with the complex U.S. asylum process, including the one-year filing deadline and other legal requirements. They argue that the new rule could unfairly penalize vulnerable asylum seekers who lack access to legal assistance.
Although the policy is already in effect, USCIS said it will later invite public comments before issuing a final version of the regulation.
