On May 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) began implementing a rule to ensure that those subject to expedited removal who are eligible for asylum are granted relief quickly and those who are not are promptly removed. By establishing a process for the efficient and thorough review of asylum claims, the new rule aims to reduce existing immigration court backlogs and to shorten the adjudication process to several months. The rule is being implemented in a phased manner, beginning with a small number of individuals, and continues to grow as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services builds operational capacity.
About this Report
The Office of Homeland Security Statistics produced this report at the direction of and in consultation with DHS leadership. OHSS worked with Component subject matter experts to validate the methodologies used to produce the report.
The report on this page describes processing and outcomes under the new rule for noncitizens identified as potentially suitable for placement in the rule, as well as demographic information about the population placed in the rule. Currently, individuals who may be processed under the rule include single adults who are non-rare language speakers and whose intended destination is one of nine destination cities (Arlington, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, and San Francisco).
Data in this report are organized by cohort based on the month of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encounter, rather than by the date of each subsequent event. For example, data in each month describe case outcomes for individuals encountered in that month, regardless of when their fear claims or Asylum Merits Interview (AMI) cases, or Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) cases were adjudicated.
Beginning in mid-October 2023, certain non-detained family units in Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) were scheduled for AMIs under the Asylum Processing Rule (APR) following a positive credible fear of persecution determination if they reside in or near one of the AMI cities. Further details on FERM AMI eligibility can be found at: AMI Process. Families are reported separately from single adults in this report with separate breakdowns provided for the principal applicant and all individuals, which include the principal applicant and all dependents.
We update this report quarterly. The next update will be in July 2024.
Return to main refugees and asylees page for more resources.
Return to main immigration enforcement actions page for more resources.
| Attachment | Ext. | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asylum Processing Rule Cohort Report - December 2023 | XLSX | 61.65 KB | 04/30/2024 |