Biden Administration to Raise Standards on Credible Fear Interviews

The President's Administration Joe Biden announced a change in asylum policies, with the intention of toughening processes for immigrants seeking refuge in the United States.

The new guideline will increase standards in credible fear interviews, a key element in the initial determination of the right to asylum.

Three US officials declared that the government is focused on the crisis over irregular immigration, and is trying to control the flow of people crossing the country's southern border, at a delicate political moment, prior to the presidential elections.

The proposed changes have emerged following the stalemate of a border security bill, blocked by Republican opposition.

Without the approval of a budget, the viability of any measure taken unilaterally is questionable, given the lack of funds necessary for its implementation.

In this context, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) manages a deficit that exceeds $500 million, a situation that puts the financial sustainability of ICE and the application of security measures at the border in check.

The officials insisted that the Biden Administration is evaluating whether the restrictions on asylum policy They will be introduced by executive order or through new federal regulation, which could delay their implementation for months.

Additionally, ICE is preparing to prioritize newly arrived immigrants in the deportation proceedings, applying the "last in, first out" policy.

Despite the executive's intentions, DHS faces skepticism both inside and outside the agency, mainly due to the consequences it would have on the cases of millions of immigrants already in the United States.

The "last in, first out" policy could push many cases to the back of the queue, prolonging their legal uncertainty.

As part of the official statements, a DHS spokesperson stressed the need for Congress to act to provide critical funding and avoid the threat of weakened border enforcement.

The legislative response will be decisive for the future of border policy and for the treatment of asylum applications in the United States.

At the end of January, Biden said he is willing to close the border with Mexico immediately if Congress presents an agreement that is being negotiated between Democrats and Republicans to address the immigration crisis.

In the last two years, official statistics indicate that about 533,000 Cubans arrived in the United States, a figure equivalent to 4.8% of the 11.1 million inhabitants of the Caribbean island.

This data does not include entries with other types of visa for which there are no official figures available.

The Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) assured that in 2023 more than 153,000 Cuban citizens entered US territory irregularly, many of them had to face the credible fear interview.