BREAKING: New reports confirm that the Bay Area’s immigration courts are rejecting asylum claims at an alarming rate under the Trump administration, with denials more than doubling compared to the previous administration. From February to August, federal judges in San Francisco and Concord denied 54% of the 4,019 asylum cases they reviewed, according to data from Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.
This sharp increase from the 26% denial rate seen during the previous administration reflects new restrictions imposed by Trump’s immigration policies. Experts attribute this trend to intensified pressure on courts to expedite hearings amid a significant backlog, exacerbated by the dismissal of approximately 90 immigration judges nationwide, including at least 11 in San Francisco and 3 in Concord.
The growing rejection rates have created a palpable sense of despair among asylum seekers. Milli Atkinson, director of the Immigrant Legal Defense Program, states, “There’s a sense of hopelessness… and fear.” Asylum is crucial for individuals fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, or political opinion, providing a potential pathway to permanent residency.
In a controversial move, the Trump administration has reiterated its commitment to rigorous vetting of asylum applications following a tragic incident involving an Afghan asylum seeker. On November 30, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared, “We are going to go through every single person that has a pending asylum claim.” However, advocates argue that current applicants already face stringent background checks.
The situation remains fluid, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently suspending a process for asylum seekers without pending deportation cases. In recent months, despite the upheaval, the San Francisco immigration court has continued operating normally, according to Atkinson.
The National Association of Immigration Judges reported that judges have faced unexpected firings, with no reasons provided. Jeremiah Johnson, a former immigration judge, expressed frustration at the abrupt terminations. “I suspect it was because we were doing our job,” he remarked, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by judges striving for fair hearings.
Despite the troubling trends in the Bay Area, denial rates remain lower than the national average, where 80% of asylum claims were denied in August, a stark increase from 59% the previous year. The national backlog has surged to over 1.1 million asylum cases, complicating the landscape for applicants.
Asylum claims have soared since President Biden took office, as many migrants seek refuge from violence and economic turmoil in Central and South America. Yet, as restrictions tighten, advocates report that many asylum seekers are abandoning their claims out of desperation. Atkinson shared a poignant example of a mother choosing to forego her claim to avoid separation from her children.
As the Bay Area immigration courts face these unprecedented challenges, the implications for countless individuals seeking safety in the U.S. are dire. The situation continues to evolve, and stakeholders are closely monitoring the unfolding developments.
