US experiments in Texas with plan to speed asylum decisions

EL PASO, Texas (AP) – U.S. immigration authorities are testing a program to speed up reviews of asylum claims at a Texas Border Patrol station, offering a glimpse of how the Trump administration may enforce its partial asylum ban.

A Homeland Security Department official says the pilot project – called the “Prompt Asylum Case Review” system, began Oct. 7 in El Paso, Texas, with a goal of having a decision by an immigration judge within 10 days. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the program have not been made public.

The rollout has not been publicly announced, leading to complaints by attorneys that they are being deprived access to clients and left in the dark. U.S. authorities insist they will have access.