The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new directive instructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to intensify efforts against fraudulent asylum claims, granting ICE attorneys greater authority to enforce document fraud laws.
This directive mandates ICE to develop anti-fraud policies to enforce 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d), a law addressing document fraud violations. The enhanced authority extends to taking enforcement actions against immigration attorneys who submit false asylum claims in immigration courts.
DHS General Counsel James Percival said, "For many years, millions of illegal aliens have committed fraud in our immigration system. No place is this more rampant than in immigration court." He added that protection claims are for "unique and narrow circumstances," but attorneys often assert persecution for "virtually every illegal alien."
Percival noted that ICE previously relied on judges and criminal fraud laws, but now, "ICE attorneys have greater authority to enforce the law and stop the abuse of our asylum system by illegal aliens and attorneys." This action aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to restoring integrity to the immigration system.