Biden prepares asylum overhaul at border, but court challenges loom

The Biden administration this week plans to begin using an overhauled system for screening migrants seeking humanitarian protection along the U.S. southern border, relying more on asylum officers instead of immigration judges to help determine who gets to stay in the country.

Biden officials say the changes are expected to reduce court backlogs and make it easier for authorities to deport those who don’t qualify for protection. The new system is scheduled to start Tuesday at two immigration detention centers in Texas, and officers are expected to process several hundred cases per month during the initial phase, according to the Department of Homeland Security.