Immigrants lining up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing center after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 7, 2023 in Lukeville, Arizona. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Policy, politics and progressive commentary
As mayors and governors clamor for help coping with the influx of asylum seekers arriving in the nation’s metropolitan areas, a bipartisan compromise negotiated in the Senate would allow migrants to begin supporting themselves sooner than the current 180-day waiting period.
“Today, the process to get to a final decision on a migrant’s asylum claim can take 5-7 years,” says a fact sheet from the White House. “That is far too long.” The measure would reduce that time to six months, according to Pres. Joe Biden’s administration, by replacing a lengthy court process with an expedited evaluation by trained asylum officers.
Asylum seekers who pass the government’s maximum 90-day screening process would be allowed to seek employment immediately, according to a White House fact sheet .