by Nick R. Hamilton
Nearly eight in ten asylum seekers are now being denied by immigration judges, marking a dramatic reversal from policies in place during the Biden administration.
President Donald Trump’s administration is now rejecting the vast majority of asylum claims, signaling one of the most consequential shifts in U.S. immigration enforcement in years.
Recent data show asylum grant rates falling to roughly 20% in the last quarter, down from about 50% in May 2022, when illegal crossings at the southern border were surging to record highs.
Deportations have exceeded 30,000 per month since Trump returned to office, including 38,215 removals in December, nearly double the 19,265 deported in December 2023.
Border encounters have also dropped sharply.
Daily apprehensions now average about 245, a roughly 95% decline from the Biden-era average of more than 5,000 per day.
Immigration Courts Overhauled
The administration has paired stricter enforcement with a sweeping overhaul of immigration courts.
More than 100 immigration judges were removed over the past year, while dozens of new judges have been hired, including temporary assignments of military Judge Advocate General lawyers to help reduce the massive case backlog.
Immigration courts are now completing around 12,000 cases per month, nearly double the 6,000 to 7,000 monthly pace seen previously.
The Department of Justice framed the shift as a restoration of credibility to the system:
“After four years of Biden administration hiring practices that undermined the credibility and impartiality of the immigration courts, this Department of Justice continues to restore integrity to our immigration system.”
full story at https://slaynews.com/news/trump-admin-denying-80-asylum-claims-immigration-courts-clear-massive-backlog/