Outrage as Biden admin reportedly grants ‘mass amnesty’ to migrants by quietly closing 350K asylum cases
WASHINGTON, DC: In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections where immigration remains a contentious topic, the Biden administration finds itself in the midst of controversy.
While the administration attempts to project a tough stance on border control, a recent report has unveiled a program that many are labeling as a “mass amnesty” for migrants.
This initiative, which has quietly been in operation since 2022, involves the closure of hundreds of thousands of asylum cases, allowing migrants to remain in the United States without fear of deportation.
A closer look at the data
Since 2022, more than 350,000 asylum cases filed by migrants have been closed by the US government. These closures occur if the applicants lack a criminal record and are not considered threats to national security.
However, the implications are profound: these cases are terminated without a decision on the merits of the asylum claim, effectively removing them from the legal system and relieving the migrants of the obligation to check in with authorities. As a result, these individuals can legally and indefinitely remain in the US.
"This is just a massive amnesty under the guise of prosecutorial discretion," Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge now working for the Center for Immigration Studies, told the New York Post. "You’re basically allowing people who don’t have a right to be in the United States to be here indefinitely," he added.
The contrast between the Trump and Biden administrations is stark. In 2020, under Trump, immigration court judges ordered the removal of 48,000 migrants from the US, granted asylum to fewer than 20,000 people, and closed or otherwise allowed 4,700 cases to remain.
In 2022, a memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s principal legal adviser, Kerry Doyle, instructed prosecutors to dismiss cases for migrants not deemed national security threats. That year, 36,000 were ordered removed, 32,000 were granted asylum, and 102,550 had their cases dismissed or taken off the books—ten times the number in 2014.
By 2023, this figure ballooned to 149,000, and in the fiscal year 2024, 114,000 cases have already been closed.
Closure of asylum cases and impact on crime rates
ICE officers have reported an uptick in crimes committed by migrants whose asylum cases were dismissed. This situation forces ICE agents to restart removal proceedings, which are notoriously lengthy. “Please let everyone know what’s really going on,” an ICE officer told the New York Post.
Another officer highlighted the frustration, noting that restarting removal proceedings for these individuals takes years and drains resources. “If the migrants, who ICE no longer controls or monitors, commit crimes after the dismissal, ICE will have to start all over and issue a new Notice to Appear in court and start the clock all over again,” they explained.
One officer noted how the numbers were “starting to increase,” while another ICE officer told the NY Post that it “happens all the time.”
The closure of asylum cases does not grant migrants legal status or work permits, but it does prevent deportation. “If the case gets dismissed, you’re basically back to nothing,” Washington-based immigration lawyer Hector Quiroga told the outlet. For clients with weak asylum cases, this outcome is preferable to a deportation order.
Immigration lawyer Sergio C Garcia noted that migrants whose cases are dismissed could reapply for asylum or seek other legal statuses, such as family-based visas, employment-based visas, or humanitarian protections like Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
The Biden administration’s actions are seen by some as a move to manage the overwhelming backlog of asylum cases, which currently stands at 3.5 million. By shaving off more than 100,000 cases annually, the administration appears to be addressing the backlog, though critics argue it is merely a superficial fix.
In May, the administration issued a rule that asylum claims must be resolved within 180 days for migrants listing their final destination in cities like Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. Additionally, an order is poised to close the border once daily migrant crossings hit 4,000, though recent figures suggest the average daily interception is nearly 6,000.
Biden slammed on social media
The ICE officers' revelations have sparked a firestorm on social media. Critics have lambasted President Biden, accusing him of undermining the legal system and potentially manipulating future elections.
"Why are they above the law? I thought nobody was," one posted on X.
"BIDEN IS IMPORTING VOTERS!" another alleged.
"They'll be voting in November," a comment read.
"350,000 votes added into kitty," someone else added.
"I absolutely HATE Biden," another fumed.
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