It has been a week of policy announcements throughout multiple branches of our Department of Homeland Security. First, USCIS has greeted us with a new policy regarding the processing of affirmative asylum applications.  Gone is the bulletin and in its place is a three tiered priority system, which classifies applicant rescheduled interviews as a first priority, applications pending 21 days or less as second, and all other pending applications as third.  With respect to third priority applications, interviews will be scheduled starting with the most recently filed applications first. More details can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/asylum/affirmative-asylum-interview-scheduling.

Meanwhile, not to be overshadowed by its benefit granting agency counterpart, our friends at enforcement only seem to be gaining enthusiasm over their newfound freedoms.  ICE’s newly released policy directive concerning enforcement actions inside federal, state and local courthouses serves as a reminder of how eager they are to greet our local community residents.   Everything you need to know can be found below:

https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2018/ciEnforcementActionsCourthouses.pdf

Link to FAQs: https://www.ice.gov/ero/enforcement/sensitive-loc

Link to Website: https://www.ice.gov/factsheets/civil-immigration-enforcement-actions-courthouses-directive