07/28/2026
Effective Immediately. USCIS Announces Rule Change to Asylum System to Reduce Backlog. USCIS can refer affirmative asylum applications to Immigration Judges without interviewing the alien.
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a rule change designed to reduce the backlog in the asylum system.