Asylum Abuse Reduction Act

To require asylum officers at United States embassies and consulates to conduct credible fear screenings before aliens seeking asylum may be permitted to enter the United States to apply for asylum, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Asylum Abuse Reduction Act 2. Asylum interviews (a) Border crossings Notwithstanding section 235(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1) (1) may not admit or parole the alien into the United States; and (2) shall advise the alien to schedule an asylum hearing with the most convenient United States embassy or consulate in Canada or Mexico. (b) Credible fear screenings An alien described in subsection (a) may only be permitted to enter the United States to apply for asylum if an asylum officer stationed at a United States embassy or consulate— (1) has conducted an in-person or telephonic interview with the alien; and (2) as a result of such interview, has concluded that the alien— (A) (i) has been persecuted in the alien’s country of nationality on account of the alien’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion; (ii) has a credible fear of persecution (as defined in section 235(b)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(B) (iii) would be subject to torture by a government or public official acting under the color of law if the alien returned to his or her country of nationality; and (B) is otherwise eligible for asylum under section 208(a) of that Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1158(a) 3. Asylum ineligibility Section 208(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1158(a)(2) (F) Transit through third country (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), paragraph (1) shall not apply to any alien who, on or after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, enters, attempts to enter, or arrives in the United States through the Southern land border after transiting through, on the way to the United States, one or more countries other than the country of citizenship, nationality, or last lawful habitual residence of the alien. (ii) Exceptions Clause (i) shall not apply if— (I) (aa) the alien demonstrates that he or she applied for protection from persecution or torture in one or more countries (other than the country of citizenship, nationality, or last lawful habitual residence of the alien) through which the alien transited on the way to the United States; and (bb) the alien received a final judgment denying the alien protection in such country; (II) the alien demonstrates that he or she is or has been subject to a severe form of trafficking in persons; or (III) the one or more countries through which the alien transited on the way to the United States were not, at the time of the transit, parties to— (aa) the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, done at Geneva July 28, 1951 (as made applicable by the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, done at New York January 31, 1967 (19 UST 6223)); or (bb) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, done at New York December 10, 1984. (G) Internal relocation Paragraph (1) shall not apply to an alien interviewed by an asylum officer under section 2(b) of the Asylum Abuse Reduction Act . 4. Criminal bench warrants (a) Issuance Each Federal judicial district shall appoint at least 1 magistrate or district court judge who, upon a showing of probable cause, shall issue a warrant of arrest for a violation of section 243(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1253(a)(1) (b) Probable cause An order of removal issued under any provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. 5. Inapplicability of Flores settlement agreement to aliens subject to detention The stipulated settlement agreement filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on January 17, 1997 (CV 85–4544–RJK) (commonly known as the Flores settlement agreement 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.

Summary: Asylum Abuse Reduction Act This bill places restrictions on non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) seeking asylum and contains provisions related to immigration enforcement. Under this bill, an asylum seeker who arrives at a U.S. land port of entry without entry documents may not be admitted unless an asylum officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate has interviewed the individual and has concluded that the individual (1) has been persecuted in the alien's country of nationality due to their race, religion, or other characteristics; (2) has a credible fear of persecution if they returned to that country; or (3) would be tortured by the government upon return to that country. (Currently, an individual arriving at a port of entry may apply for asylum and an immigration officer there typically will conduct a credible fear interview.) Furthermore, an individual who traveled through a third country to enter the United States through the southern border shall be ineligible for asylum unless (1) the individual has applied for and been denied asylum or protection in that third country, (2) the individual was a victim of severe human trafficking, or (3) the third country is not party to certain international agreements relating to refugees. Each federal judicial district shall appoint at least one judge to issue arrest warrants for individuals violating orders to depart, upon a showing of probable cause. Under this bill, the Flores agreement (a lawsuit settlement which imposes various requirements relating to the treatment of minors detained for immigration-related purposes) shall not apply.