US seeks faster expulsion of asylum seekers with criminal file

The US Homeland Security Department on Thursday proposed a new rule that would allow for swifter expulsion of asylum seekers deemed to be a national security threat or who have been convicted of serious crimes.

As he seeks re-election in November, President Joe Biden is under constant attack from Republicans, led by his presumptive opponent Donald Trump, with accusations that he is allowing undocumented people to cross over the southern US border in droves.

The proposal published Thursday would allow authorities to reject claims from asylum seekers with certain criminal backgrounds within days of their arrival in the country.

Currently, the applicants are allowed to stay until their case goes before an immigration judge -- "a process that can take years and is resource-intensive," Homeland Security said in a statement.

The proposed rule will go into effect after a 30-day period of public debate.

It will allow for "quickly identifying and removing those individuals who present a security risk and have no legal basis to remain here," the statement quoted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as saying.

It targets people "convicted of a particularly serious crime, participated in the persecution of others, are inadmissible on national security or terrorism-related grounds," the department said.

In March US authorities intercepted nearly 190,000 people who crossed the border with Mexico without permission, according to government figures. Most were Latin American.

That is down slightly from February and way down from 302,000 in December.

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