Executive Office for Immigration Review August 20, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Justice (``DOJ'') and the Department of Homeland Security (``DHS'') (collectively, ``the Departments'') are proposing to amend the regulations governing the determination of certain protection claims raised by individuals subject to expedited removal and found to have a credible fear of persecution or torture. Under the proposed rule, such individuals could have their claims for asylum, withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (``INA'' or ``the Act'') (``statutory withholding of removal''), or protection under the regulations issued pursuant to the legislation implementing U.S. obligations under Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (``CAT'') initially adjudicated by an asylum officer within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (``USCIS''). Such individuals who are granted relief by the asylum officer would be entitled to asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under CAT, as appropriate. Such individuals who are denied protection would be able to seek prompt, de novo review with an immigration judge (``IJ'') in the DOJ Executive Office for Immigration Review (``EOIR''), with appeal available to the Board of Immigration Appeals (``BIA''). These changes are intended to improve the Departments' ability to consider the asylum claims of individuals encountered at or near the border more promptly while ensuring fundamental fairness. In addition, among other changes to the asylum process, the Departments are proposing to return to the regulatory framework governing the credible fear screening process in place before various regulatory changes made from the end of 2018 through the end of 2020, so as to apply once more the longstanding ``significant possibility'' screening standard to all protection claims, but not to apply the mandatory bars to asylum and withholding of removal (with limited exception) at this initial screening stage.