USCIS Ends In-Person Interviews for Affirmative Asylum Seekers

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has eliminated in-person interviews for affirmative asylum applicants and is redirecting those cases to immigration courts [1, 2, 3].

This policy shift fundamentally changes how thousands of people seek legal protection in the U.S. By removing the administrative interview process, the government moves the primary venue for asylum adjudication from a government agency to a judicial setting.

The policy was already in effect by August 2026 and is slated to apply to all new cases starting May 28, 2026 [2, 5]. Under the previous system, applicants could have their claims granted by USCIS officials without ever appearing in court. Now, those cases will be sent directly to immigration courts for a hearing.

Approximately 1.5 million affirmative asylum applicants are affected by this change ^[1]. This redirection means that a significant volume of cases will now enter a court system already known for extensive backlogs.

Administration officials said the change would curb fraud and speed up processing [1, 2, 3]. They argue that a court-based approach ensures a more rigorous review of asylum claims.

Critics of the policy said the move undermines due process and will further overload the immigration courts [1, 2, 3]. Opponents argue that removing the interview stage strips applicants of a critical opportunity to present their evidence and testimony before a government officer, potentially delaying final decisions by years.

While some reports suggest the administration has suspended the entire asylum system ^[3], other records indicate the change specifically targets the in-person interview process for affirmative asylum applications ^[2].