New Trump Proposal to Deny Asylum to Applicants from Countries with Widespread Communicable Disease

On Wednesday, the Trump administration proposed a new rule that give border officers the authority to deny asylum to applicants from countries with widespread communicable disease. The proposal stated that denying asylum to people from high-risk countries would combat disease in the United States, in some cases stopping it before it reaches American soil. Asylum is a humanitarian immigration benefit applied for by individuals who fear severe harm or persecution if they return to their country of origin. For more information on asylum and other humanitarian relief, please click here. The asylum program has undergone many changes since 2016, including eliminating domestic violence victim’s eligibility to apply for asylum, proposal to charge a fee for previously free asylum applications, and eliminating the 30 day guarantee for asylum work permit applications. For more information, please click here.

The proposal’s publication in the Federal Register will be followed by a 30-day period for public comments. It would take effect sometime after the comment period ends.