This past Friday, the White House expressed satisfaction over an unprecedented decline in the approval rate for asylum applications within the United States immigration courts.
Data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), part of the Department of Justice, indicates that during the first half of the fiscal year 2026, a mere 8.8% of resolved cases resulted in asylum grants—the lowest figure recorded in over a decade.
The administration's Rapid Response 47 official account shared a graphic on Friday showcasing EOIR's data, celebrating it as a triumph: “Under Biden, immigration judges granted nearly half of all asylum applications that resulted in a decision. Under President Trump, that percentage has plummeted to just 8.8%, with a downward trend continuing.”
A comprehensive analysis by Andrew R. Arthur at the Center for Immigration Studies, published on Thursday, provides historical context: the approval rate peaked under Biden, reaching 48.1% in fiscal year 2023 and 45.7% in 2024, before crashing to 24.4% in fiscal year 2025 and hitting the current low of 8.8% so far in fiscal year 2026.
When considering the total number of decisions—accounting for withdrawals, dismissals, and administrative closures—the approval rate is even lower: out of more than 150,500 decisions, just 5,086 were grants, representing a mere 3.4% of the total.
Arthur attributes the sharp decline to two concurrent factors: policy changes during Trump's second term and the legacy from the previous administration.
“The policy shifts under Trump II and the lack of screening for so-called 'asylum seekers' at borders and ports under Biden are responsible for this trend,” the analyst noted, further criticizing the Democratic administration's "catch and release" policies that “left judges with a glut of weak applications to deny.”
Specific measures contributing to the decline include several opinions by Attorney General Pam Bondi, which restricted the ability to seek asylum based on gang violence and domestic violence abroad.
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) also directed judges on how to deny applications under "safe third country" agreements and permitted them to dismiss incomplete applications without holding substantive hearings, thereby expediting the denial process.
Adding to these measures, 120 new immigration judges were hired with just three to four weeks of training—shortening the typical training period—with instructions to grant asylum “only in rare circumstances,” as reported by Bloomberg Law.
In November 2025, the administration temporarily froze all asylum decisions while reviewing security protocols following an attack by an Afghan asylum status holder. Months later, in May 2026, it imposed an annual $102 fee on pending applications older than a year, with the risk of automatic denial if not paid within 30 days.
USCIS figures showing the asylum approval rate had already dropped to 7% by February 2026 confirm a trend that the Trump administration not only acknowledges but promotes as a success of its immigration policy.
Arthur concludes his analysis with a clear prediction: “Expect denials of asylum to rise and grants to fall, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of total decisions, at least as long as Trump remains in office.”
Insights into the Decline of Asylum Approvals
What factors contributed to the decrease in asylum approvals?
The decrease is attributed to policy changes under Trump's second term and the lack of screening under the previous administration, which resulted in a higher number of weak applications.
How did the administration expedite the denial process for asylum applications?
The administration streamlined the denial process by allowing judges to dismiss incomplete applications without substantive hearings and implementing policies that restricted asylum claims based on specific types of violence.
What measures were taken in response to security concerns?
The administration froze asylum decisions temporarily to review security protocols and later imposed a fee on pending applications to encourage timely processing.