Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would release a decision Monday aimed at limiting the reasons why people can claim asylum in the United States.
In a speech before immigration judges in Virginia, Sessions said the valid reasons for asylum have been stretched under the Immigration and Nationality Act. He said his decision is aimed at making sure asylum is granted only in cases outlined under U.S. law.
“Under the INA, asylum is available for those who leave their home country because of persecution or fear on account of race, religion, nationality or membership in a particular social group or political opinion,” he said.
“Asylum was never meant to alleviate all problems, even all serious problems that people face every day all over the world,” Sessions added.
“So today, I’m exercising the responsibility given to me under the INA, and I will be issuing a decision that restores strong principles of asylum and longstanding principles of immigration law,” he said.
Sessions said he acted “carefully” on the decision, and said it would reflect a “correct interpretation of the law.”
“It advances the original intent and purpose of the INA, and it will be your duty of course to carry that out,” he said. “This decision will provide more clarity for you, it will help you to rule consistently, and all our judges to rule consistently throughout the country, and fairly.”
Sessions said most asylum claims are later found by immigration judges to be invalid, and said the more the U.S. does to clarify the law and practice, the fewer illegal immigrants would make their way to the border.
“Clarity in law is the right thing,” he said. “The world will know what our rules are, and great numbers will no longer undertake this dangerous journey. The number of illegal aliens and the number of baseless claims will fall. I’m confident that’s true.”
