The Biden administration is pushing forward with a plan to expedite the deportation of asylum-seekers who enter the country illegally and are deemed to be a threat to public safety. The Department of Homeland Security’s agency U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the proposal in a notice filed on Thursday, aiming to swiftly remove illegal immigrants who seek asylum and are considered a risk to national security or public safety.
Previously, federal authorities were not allowed to assess potential risks during asylum screenings, leading to the release of individuals into the country. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that the proposed rule is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the safety of the American public by identifying and removing individuals who pose a security risk and do not have a legal basis to remain in the US. However, Mayorkas emphasized that Congress needs to address the larger issue of the broken immigration system.
The move is in response to incidents where immigrants who were released at the border went on to commit high-profile crimes, such as the tragic murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. Under the new rule, most asylum-seekers will still be released into the country with a notice to appear in immigration court, which may take years due to backlog.
The aim of the rule change is to allow authorities to consider information that disqualifies individuals from asylum early in the process, particularly those with serious criminal histories or ties to terrorist activity. The Biden administration believes that this measure is crucial for national security and public safety, targeting a small fraction of individuals encountered at the border. The administration does not anticipate that the proposed change will delay the processing of immigrants in custody at the border, and the exact number of individuals affected is uncertain at this time.
