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Acting Head of USCIS Tells Agency Staff to Crack Down on “Frivolous” Asylum Claims

HeadlineJun 19, 2019

In related news, the acting head of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Ken Cuccinelli, sent an email Tuesday directing agency officers to deny entry to asylum seekers who express credible fear but do not have a “significant possibility of receiving a grant of asylum.” The letter also said that many of the claims are “frivolous.” Staffers say the letter read like a threat against asylum agents in a likely effort to push them toward accepting fewer migrants based on initial assessments. While asylum agents are charged with determining an applicant’s “credible fear” claim, judges ultimately determine whether the asylum will be granted after due process.

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