A Guide Through The United States’ Asylum Program
The ability to seek asylum in the United States has always been a fundamental aspect of US immigration law. Asylum serves as a means of protection for immigrants who have faced persecution or harm in their home countries. Over the years, the number of asylum seekers has been steadily increasing, leading to a backlog of asylum cases.
This situation has placed greater pressure on American politicians to take action. In response, the Trump administration implemented various policies aimed at deterring immigrants from attempting to cross the challenging southern border. However, the Biden administration has reversed many of these immigration-era decisions.
In fiscal year 2023, there was a surge in illegal border crossings, further strained relations between the federal government and border states. This event reignited discussions about immigration reform in Congress. Throughout the years, the United States has been a generous host to refugees.
During World War II, hundreds of thousands of refugees were resettled in Europe; during the Cold War, tens of thousands more found refuge. The United States has played a significant role in shaping international humanitarian law to protect refugees. In 1980, the US government transitioned from a more lenient vetting and resettlement system to a stricter, standardized process.
The size of the US asylum program has fluctuated over time. Following the war in Syria in 2015 and the migration crisis in Europe in 2016, both President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump tightened the rules for refugees entering the United States from Middle Eastern countries.
President Donald Trump’s travel ban significantly decreased the number of refugees admitted to the United States, sparking a renewed debate on the national security implications of US refugee policy. Under President Joe Biden, there has been a gradual effort to rebuild the US asylum program.
The Welcome Corps initiative was established to facilitate this process, allowing Americans to sponsor refugees privately.
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