Affirmative Asylum Referrals Without Interview
What happened
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations to allow U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to refer certain affirmative asylum applications to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) without an interview. This rule, signed by Donald Trump, also removes the requirement that referral letters include an assessment of the alien's credibility. The interim final rule was effective on July 28, 2026, and comments must be submitted by September 28, 2026.
Why it matters
This policy streamlines the asylum process by allowing some applications to skip an initial interview, potentially accelerating how cases are handled. By removing the credibility assessment requirement from referral letters, it changes the initial documentation needed for asylum reviews.
Who it affects
- ›Asylum applicants
- ›U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- ›Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- ›Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)
The receipts are official. The summary is ours.
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