The Trump administration is developing a plan to allow U.S. immigration officials to reject some asylum applications without conducting interviews, according to internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents obtained by CBS News. The proposal aims to expedite the processing of asylum claims by targeting applications filed more than a year after applicants’ arrival in the United States.
What happened
The new regulation would empower officers at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reject asylum applications outright if they determine the filing exceeded the one-year deadline for submitting a claim after entry. Currently, U.S. immigration law bars most asylum applicants from filing after one year, though exceptions exist for cases such as serious medical conditions, ineffective legal counsel, or if the applicant is a minor.
Under the proposed rule, USCIS officers could bypass the traditional asylum interview process for cases they deem ineligible due to late filing. Rejected applicants would then be placed in deportation proceedings before immigration courts under the Department of Justice, where they would have to contest their claims in court.
The regulation would still allow officers to conduct interviews and consider exceptions to the one-year rule, but its primary effect would be to permit quick rejections based solely on paperwork review.
In response to CBS News, a USCIS spokesperson framed the policy as a response to a backlog of more than one million asylum claims, referring to it as a measure against “deficient” applications that currently strain the immigration system. The spokesperson described the backlog as a result of “dangerous open borders policies” under the Biden administration and highlighted that the measure would allow claims to be heard by judges more promptly.
Immigration advocates expressed concern that the plan could unjustly fast-track deportations. Conchita Cruz, co-executive director of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, cautioned that many applicants file late for valid reasons, such as temporary visa status or ongoing legal challenges. Cruz warned the plan risks denying asylum-seekers the chance to explain their cases before facing deportation.
Why it matters
This regulation would represent a significant shift in U.S. asylum procedure by removing the standard interview safeguard for many applicants, potentially increasing the number of deportations without full case review. It reflects the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to tighten asylum access by emphasizing strict adherence to filing deadlines and aggressive deportation policies.
The policy responds to the longstanding asylum backlog, which both Republican and Democratic administrations have criticized as encouraging unauthorized stays and enabling economic migration under the guise of asylum claims.
Background
USCIS manages asylum applications filed by immigrants residing legally in the U.S. or those not yet in deportation proceedings, while DOJ immigration courts handle deportations, including cases challenged after USCIS decisions. As of late 2025, USCIS had roughly 1.5 million pending asylum applications, with immigration courts holding a backlog exceeding 3 million cases.
The Trump administration previously implemented multiple restrictive asylum measures, including “safe third country” agreements that redirect asylum-seekers to other nations, some with poor human rights records. Additionally, a freeze on several asylum claims was instituted following a mass shooting incident involving an asylee and remains partially in effect for applicants from countries on Trump’s travel bans.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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