What Trump’s asylum change means for people seeking protection | The Excerpt

0 August 3, 2026 06:00

The Trump administration has changed how some asylum applications are handled, allowing certain cases to be sent directly to immigration court without first going through an interview with a trained asylum officer. The administration says the policy could help reduce a backlog of roughly 1.4 million pending cases and address abuse of the asylum system. Immigration attorneys and legal experts warn, however, that skipping the interview could make it harder for people with legitimate claims to explain inconsistencies, present evidence and receive a meaningful review. USA TODAY National Reporter Christopher Cann joins The Excerpt to explain what all this means for immigrants.