The Trump administration is seeking to dismiss more than 8,000 pending asylum cases in U.S. immigration courts, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said.
The requests ask judges to remove certain asylum applications from the U.S. court system and, in some instances, send applicants to third countries under existing agreements.
The motions target individuals who previously requested asylum in the United States and have been awaiting hearings. They involve immigrants from Central America, South America, Africa, and other regions. ICE is filing requests nationwide, asking judges to apply safe-third-country agreements or other policies that require applicants to pursue protection outside the U.S.
Immigration judges will review each motion and decide whether to grant or deny the requests. Some asylum seekers may oppose the filings, while others could be relocated or face removal proceedings if the motions are approved. The administration cited court backlogs and high numbers of new arrivals at the border as justification for the policy.
Officials said the actions do not change the underlying legal right to seek asylum in the United States for individuals fearing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. The process affects where and how certain claims are handled, but U.S. asylum law remains intact.