USCIS to Take Action to Address Asylum Backlog
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that the agency will schedule asylum interviews for recent applications ahead of older filings, in an attempt to stem the growth of the agency’s asylum backlog.
USCIS is responsible for overseeing the nation’s legal immigration system, which includes adjudicating asylum claims. The agency currently faces a crisis-level backlog of 311,000 pending asylum cases as of Jan. 21, 2018, making the asylum system increasingly vulnerable to fraud and abuse. This backlog has grown by more than 1750 percent over the last five years, and the rate of new asylum applications has more than tripled.
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To address this problem, USCIS will follow these priorities when scheduling affirmative asylum interviews:
- Applications that were scheduled for an interview, but the interview had to be rescheduled at the applicant’s request or the needs of USCIS;
- Applications pending 21 days or less since filing; and
- All other pending applications, starting with newer filings and working back toward older filings.
Additionally, the Affirmative Asylum Bulletin issued by USCIS has been discontinued.
“Delays in the timely processing of asylum applications are detrimental to legitimate asylum seekers,” said USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna. “Lingering backlogs can be exploited and used to undermine national security and the integrity of the asylum system.”
This priority approach, first established by the asylum reforms of 1995 and used for 20 years until 2014, seeks to deter those who might try to use the existing backlog as a means to obtain employment authorization. Returning to a “last in, first out” interview schedule will allow USCIS to identify frivolous, fraudulent or otherwise non-meritorious asylum claims earlier and place those individuals into removal proceedings.
Call for a Consultation with Pegah Rahgozar
The Rahgozar Law Firm is here to represent you every step of the way in applying for asylum to stay in the United States. Ms. Pegah Rahgozar is a Houston immigration lawyer who can assist you with issues relating to ensuring you file a proper and timely application, and are allowed to stay and work in the United States. Ms. Pegah Rahgozar and her team will find the best solution that works for you.
From initial determination of your best options through obtaining your work permit and asylum status, Pegah Rahgozar will assist you and be the advocate you need by your side.
Pegah Rahgozar represents individuals in Houston, and surrounding areas, as well as across the great state of Texas. If you reside outside of Texas or the United States, Pegah Rahgozar can represent you too! We have taken cases and represented individuals from all over the United States and across the world.
This information has been obtained based on recent USCIS publications. For details on how USCIS will schedule interviews, go to the USCIS page- Affirmative Asylum Interview Scheduling.