The Biden administration plans to speed up the processing of asylum seekers at the U.S.-Canada border in response to a significant increase in migrant crossings.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed in an email to VOA that there will be two changes to the asylum process at the northern border. They also emphasized that the agency continues to enforce U.S. immigration laws and crack down on non-citizens who lack legal grounds to remain in the United States.
“The Department of Homeland Security has carefully reviewed the implementation of the Safe Third Country Agreement with Canada and has concluded that it can streamline this process at the border without affecting the ability of non-citizens to access a full and fair process to determine their claim for asylum or equivalent temporary protection,” the spokesperson said.
CBS News reported on the plan before DHS confirmed the details with VOA. The policy changes were set to go into effect Wednesday.
The first change would require migrants to provide documents, statements and other credible evidence when screened by U.S. asylum officials to determine whether they qualify under the agreement.
Previously, migrants could delay screening while they gathered the information needed to confirm their eligibility for release.
“Asylum officers will only consider documentary evidence available at the time of the TSI. [Threshold Screening Interview]”,” a DHS spokesman wrote.
The second change reduces the time a migrant has to consult with an attorney. Starting Wednesday, a migrant has at least four hours to get legal help before their first asylum interview. DHS made a similar change at the U.S.-Mexico border in June to limit the number of asylum applications there.
The Safe Third Country Asylum Agreement between the United States and Canada was signed in 2002 and expanded in 2023. It places responsibility for processing asylum applications on the country where an asylum seeker first arrives.
Those covered by the Safe Third Country Agreement must prove that they first sought asylum in Canada when entering the U.S. from that country. Otherwise, they may be sent back to Canada unless they qualify for a release. Unaccompanied children and migrants with relatives in the U.S. are exempt from the agreement.
Similarly, those entering Canada from the United States and covered by the agreement may be returned to the United States by Canadian authorities.
A Homeland Security Department official said the changes are expected to help U.S. immigration authorities more quickly process and expel migrants along the 5,500-mile (8,890-kilometer) northern border, where encounters with migrants have increased this year.
In fiscal year 2024 through JuneU.S. Border Patrol agents encountered 16,459 migrants who illegally crossed the U.S.-Canada border, up from 10,021 in fiscal year 2023 and 2,238 in 2022.
A DHS spokesman called the changes “purely procedural” and did not provide further comment beyond the statement.