The political or social situation that different countries are going through has prompted millions of people to try to reach the United States to request protection through a mechanism such as asylum, which prevents their deportation.
Under the law of this country, people fleeing their country for fear of persecution can go to this number and This includes people who have entered their territory irregularly, as in the case of Cuban migrants who reach the coasts, particularly Florida, through various routes.
According to a report released this Tuesday, more than 1.6 million applications are pending adjudication by immigration courts across the United States and the Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS, for its English acronym).
According to a study of federal data, that’s a number never recorded in this country. conducted by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.
The analysis allowed this to be established Since fiscal 2012, when 100,000 cases were pending, immigration courts have been inundated with this type of request.
But by the end of fiscal year 2022 (October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022), according to the clearing house, there were already more than 750,000.
“Since then, In the first two months of (fiscal year) 2023 (October-November 2022) alone, the asylum backlog increased by more than 30,000 new cases and now it totals 787,882,” according to the agency.
This is what the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse study found Asylum applications were made by people from 219 different countries and they speak 418 different languages. About three out of ten of them are under 18 years old.
Citizens of Guatemala, Venezuela, Cuba and Brazil are the main applicants for this benefit in the US, considering the internal social and political situation in these countries.
of states, Florida and Massachusetts are the regions of this country where applications have increased, according to the study’s findings.
cumbersome procedure
One of the concerns is the delay in processing political asylum, as a hearing can take an average of 4.3 years, and in some cases it could take longer, as in Omaha, Nebraska, where the waiting time is 5.9 years. reveals the study.
The analysis also showed that An increasing percentage of applicant screening is conducted electronically through the Department of Homeland Security’s Alternative to Detention program.
If not deported, Cubans entering United States country can apply for asylum. Photo: AP. – Photo: Photo: AP.In the meantime, a small proportion, about 2,000 people, are in custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE).
This federal agency pointed out that “Every year people come to the United States seeking protection because they have suffered persecution or because they fear that they may be persecuted because of their race, religion, national origin, or membership in a particular social group or because of their political opinions”.
“You can only make this application if you are physically in the United States and are not a US citizen.” stated on its official site.
He explained that consenting asylum seekers cannot submit Form I-589 online if:
– are involved in proceedings before an immigration court or before the Immigration Board of Appeal.
– is an unaccompanied minor as defined by 6 USC § 279(g) and is subject to deportation proceedings.
– You belong to the categories of applicants who have to submit their application by post to the asylum review body cAs noted in the Special Instructions section of our Form I-589 website.
– You have already filed a Form I-589 that is pending with USCIS.
“If you qualify for asylum, you may be allowed to remain in the United States. To apply for or defend asylum, submit Form I-589 within one year of arrival in the United States.he added.
In addition, it was noted that an individual may seek asylum or asylum defense for their spouse and children who are physically in the United States as dependents at the time of filing or at any time prior to a final decision on their application.
“In order for your child to be included in your application as a dependent, they must be under the age of 21 and unmarried.” Indian.
He concluded by pointing out that “if you have a pending asylum application with us, you can check the status of your application in the status of your online case. All you need is the receipt number, which we provided you after submitting your application,” clarifying that the procedure is free.