Trump administration proposes sweeping asylum restrictions

Trump ministration on Wednesday proposed sweeping — though somewhat vague — restrictions on asylum, seeking to align a legal framework with president's efforts to limit immigration to United States. moves are only latest in a series of measures that Trump has taken to limit asylum — this time aimed at changing complicated procedures governing immigration courts.

Justice and Homeland Security departments said asylum-seekers who clear initial screenings will have claims heard by an immigration judge in “streamlined proceedings,” replacing longstanding rules in immigration law. y did t elaborate in a brief press release.

rules also will allow judges to dismiss cases without court hearings if supporting evidence is determined to be too weak. y will define when a claim may be declared “frivolous” and raise threshold for initial screenings under United Nations Convention Against Torture.

ministration will propose new definitions for some ways people qualify for asylum, specifically “political opinion” and membership in a "particular social group.”

Asylum is for people who face persecution for ir race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a social group, a loose category that may include victims of gang or domestic violence. Narrowing those ways to qualify would mean more rejected claims.

ministration said changes would bring more efficiency to an immigration court system with a backlog of more than 1.1 million cases.

rules will “more effectively separate baseless claims from meritorious ones,” departments said. “This would better ensure groundless claims do t delay or divert resources from deserving claims.”

Details will be published in Federal Register with time for public comment before y take effect. Lawsuits may delay or derail effort.

ministration effectively put asylum out of reach for many people at Canian and Mexican borders in March under a 1944 public health law aimed at preventing spre of coronavirus. move, intended to be temporary, allowed government to immediately expel people from Mexico and Central America to Mexico before y make an asylum claim.