Jeff Sessions reportedly wants to make it almost impossible for undocumented immigrants to qualify for asylum


The Trump administration is reviewing a proposal that would make immigrants who enter the country illegally ineligible for asylum, Vox reported Friday. Per a drafted Justice Department proposal — documents for which were reviewed by Vox — the government would make achieving asylum much more difficult in several respects.
While the proposal could still be changed before it is made public, the current draft proposes "the most severe restrictions on asylum since at least 1965," one expert told Vox.
It suggests a number of sweeping changes, including disqualifying immigrants who enter the country outside of a port of entry and officially making domestic violence and gang violence an ineligible reason to apply for asylum, as Attorney General Jeff Sessions floated earlier this month. The proposal additionally penalizes immigrants coming from Central America who don't ask Mexico for asylum first, and limits the number of appeals an asylum-seeker can make during their application process. For immigrants who enter the U.S. and then legally ask for asylum within the first year of residence, the plan would make misdemeanors like traffic violations a disqualifying offense.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The proposal, especially the part that requires immigrants to wait — possibly for several weeks or more — at a port of entry before requesting asylum, will likely face a legal challenge, reports Vox. But if even a portion of the proposed regulation is signed into law, it would become "nearly impossible" for immigrants to successfully navigate the asylum process. Read more at Vox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’
Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailout
Talking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeeze
THE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot