US may deny asylum during public health emergencies on security grounds

ISTANBUL

New US regulations will allow the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to treat public health risks as security-related grounds for denying asylum and withholding of removal during a public health emergency.

According to a statement issued Monday by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the regulations are set to take effect on Wednesday.

The Security Bars and Processing final rule was published in 2020, but its implementation was repeatedly delayed, underlined authorities, adding that in the last update, some outdated amendments were removed.

USCIS said it placed all asylum applications on hold on Dec. 2 pending a comprehensive review.

“This final rule is an additional step in our ongoing efforts to support the priorities of the Trump administration by ensuring that aliens who would pose a danger to the security of the United States are not granted asylum or withholding of removal,” concluded authorities.

Since taking office for a second term this January, US President Donald Trump has launched a controversial crackdown on irregular migrants – sweeping up some people legally residing in the US in the process – as well as tightened programs for refugees and entries from some countries.

Earlier, the Department of Homeland Security announced the immediate suspension of the diversity lottery immigrant visa program, claiming that the suspected gunman linked to three killings at the northeastern Brown University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had entered the country through that system.