Immigration policies in the United States are changing significantly at a rapid rate. President Donald Trump recently said that he is going to change these even more, and the new changes will impact families who plan to venture to the U.S. to seek asylum.
One of the most serious changes is that he plans to charge a fee for people who are seeking asylum. This could prevent families from poor countries from being able to find safety and hope in this country. On top of that, he is also seeking to ban the issuance of a work permit to anyone who crossed the border illegally.
The one good point that is contained in the White House memo is that he plans to give a 180-day limit to courts for adjudicating claims for asylum. As it stands now, these cases can take years to go through. For some, however, this time limit could prove to be a bad thing.
When a family containing children comes onto U.S. soil and utilizes the legal right to seek asylum, they are usually given a court date and allowed to remain in the country while the asylum claim goes before the court. This gives them a chance to establish ties, hold a job or reunite with other members of their family.
For people who are fleeing to the U.S. because of fears of death or torture, working through the laws here can be a challenge. They often don’t have the resources to pay a fee and still be able to set up a life here. They may have to make some tough choices but having someone to help them with their asylum petition might reduce their stress.
