Under Trump, Bay Area immigration courts deny asylum claims at soaring rates

"From President Donald Trump's first full month returning to office in February through August, federal immigration judges in San Francisco and Concord denied 54% of the 4,019 asylum cases they decided, according to the latest data from University of Syracuse's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a nonpartisan research center that collects and analyzes immigration court data. During the previous seven months, when Joe Biden was president, the courts rejected 26% of 3,355 cases."

"Immigration experts attribute the sharp rise to new restrictions on asylum eligibility imposed by the Trump administration as part of its sweeping immigration crackdown. They also cite administration pressure on courts to process more asylum cases to reduce a massive backlog, even as federal officials summarily fired dozens of immigration judges nationwide. The changes have created a sense of hopelessness among applicants, said Milli Atkinson, director of the Immigrant Legal Defense Program at the San Francisco Bar Association."

"But more than that, there's a sense of fear. Asylum provides refuge and a pathway to permanent residency to those fleeing persecution in their home countries because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in particular social groups. As justification for Trump's immigration crackdown, administration officials accused Biden of risking public safety by allowing a flood of migrants to abuse the U.S. asylum system. Now, the administration says it wants to pause the asylum process."

San Francisco and Concord immigration judges denied 54% of asylum cases from February through August, compared with 26% during the prior seven months. Immigration experts link the sharp increase to new asylum-eligibility restrictions, administration pressure to clear a massive backlog, and the summary firing of dozens of immigration judges. The changes have produced hopelessness and fear among applicants. Asylum provides refuge and a path to permanent residency for those fleeing persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in particular social groups. Federal officials say they will pause processing and intensify vetting, citing public-safety concerns after a deadly shooting.

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