Migrants in US Face Tighter Timeframe to Seek Legal Help under Biden's New Asylum Rules

As of Wednesday, June 5, migrants who enter the United States unlawfully are encountering a significant challenge in their pursuit of asylum following President Biden’s recent imposition of a virtual ban on asylum. The new rule mandates that within four hours of their arrival, these migrants must secure legal representation in order to contest their eligibility for an exception to the broad asylum restrictions put forth by Mr. Biden. In the absence of legal counsel, migrants are required to present a compelling case independently; failure to do so will result in immediate rejection.

Shortened Time Frame

The previous window of at least 24 hours for securing legal assistance has been drastically reduced. This development was communicated in an email by John Lafferty, the leader of asylum at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to the officials implementing Mr. Biden’s interim measure, which has temporarily suspended asylum petitions at the border.