Asylum
Asylum grants legal protection to foreign nationals already in the U.S. or arriving at the border who can’t go back to their home country because of persecution. Learn more about the asylum system in the United States, including how asylum is defined, eligibility requirements, and the difficult and complex application process.
Settlement Deadline in Lawsuit Addressing a One-Year Filing Deadline for Asylum Applications
Immigration law requires that asylum seekers file applications for asylum within one year of last entering the United States. Filing after one year can be the sole reason the U.S. government denies an asylum application. Despite these serious consequences, until recently, officials did not always tell asylum seekers of this… Read More
Council Files Complaint Against ICE for Racial Discrimination and Excessive Use of Force in Colorado Facility
The American Immigration Council filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security's oversight bodies urging an investigation into racial discrimination and excessive use of force at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. Read More
The US Response to Ukraine Shows We Have the Capacity for Humanitarian Relief
At the beginning of March 2022, as millions of Ukrainians were being displaced by Russian invasion, the U.S. government announced a series of policy changes to assist some of the people impacted by the war. Using many of the United States’ humanitarian protection authorities, the government acted quickly to help… Read More
Ending Title 42 and Creating an Orderly Asylum System
The American Immigration Council appeared before Congress to address the effect of Title 42 on border operations and management and to provide recommendations on creating an orderly humanitarian protection system at the U.S. Southern Border. Read More
The End of Title 42: A Long-Overdue Step Toward Rebuilding our Asylum System
The Biden administration announced today plans to end a border expulsions policy known as Title 42 by May 23. This policy allowed the U.S. government to turn people away at the U.S southern border over 1.7 million times in the past two years under the guise of protecting the country from COVID-19. Read More
Biden’s New Asylum Process: What You Need to Know
The Biden administration finalized its long-anticipated plan for overhauling the asylum system on March 24. The regulation, which is set to go into effect on an interim basis in 60 days, was first put forward for public comment in August 2021. Asylum seekers arriving at the border and… Read More
Asylum Changes from the Biden Administration Will Not Ensure Due Process as Required by U.S. Asylum Law
The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) responded to today’s release of an interim final rule related to asylum procedures with concern. The rule is being published in draft form and is slated to take effect in 60 days, however additional public comment is being accepted for 60 days. Read More
Alternatives to Immigration Detention: An Overview
This fact sheet provides an overview of the wide range of programs that provide alternatives to detention (ATDs) and run the gamut from no governmental intervention to extensive surveillance and restrictions on liberties, Read More
This USCIS Policy Change Will Reunite Vulnerable LGBTQ Refugee and Asylum Couples
In February, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reversed Trump administration guidance that limited recognition of marriages performed abroad only to those considered “valid” in the country where they took place. This narrow interpretation of the “place-of-celebration” rule left many refugees and asylees without a way to reunite with their… Read More
Coalition Calls on Biden Administration to Rescind Rule that Would Bar Asylum Seekers Under the Pretenses of Public Health
The Council joined 134 other organizations in a letter calling on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Executive Office for Immigration Review to rescind the “Security Bars and Processing” rule. Read More
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