Biden Administration updating asylum rules to allow for faster removal of migrants with criminal history

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KVIA) -- The Biden Administration just announced new "efforts to enhance the security of our border and deliver more timely consequences for those encountered who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States."

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) just put out a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking increasing the number of roadblocks on the path towards asylum and allowing officials to remove more migrants from the country. Officials say these roadblocks primarily apply to those who could pose a threat to public and national security. They apply specifically to those who have previous convictions for serious crimes.

"While anyone who is deemed to pose a public safety threat is taken into custody, the asylum eligibility determination is not currently made until later in the process – at the merits adjudication stage of the asylum and withholding of removal claims," the Biden Administration explained in a news release Thursday. "Today’s proposed rule would permit Asylum Officers to consider these bars to asylum and withholding of removal during initial credible fear screening, which happens just days after an individual is encountered. This will allow DHS to expeditiously remove individuals who pose a threat to the United States much sooner than is currently the case, better safeguarding the security of our border and our country."