U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) released a discussion draft for legislation to reform the nation’s asylum procedure.
“This proposal would fix our broken asylum system that encourages illegal immigration, diverts resources from those with legitimate claims and, in many cases, actually rewards the kingpin human smugglers who thrive on its perpetuation,” Rep. Hurd said.
The bill, to be called the Asylum Reform Act of 2019, would streamline the processing of people trying to come into the United States to ensure the asylum system protects those fleeing legitimate persecution from their home countries, according to a summary provided by Rep. Hurd’s office.
“Our asylum system, created in the 1980’s, never could have anticipated such a large number of migrants seeking asylum,” said Rep. Hurd, referring to the humanitarian crisis at America’s southern border with Mexico. “That’s why reforming our asylum laws is an essential step to address the unprecedented crisis at our border.”
According to the congressman’s summary of the discussion draft, the bill includes numerous provisions, such as limiting eligibility for asylum to migrants who enter the United States at a port of entry, thereby discouraging illegal entry and allowing Customs and Border Protection to process migrants in a controlled and orderly manner.
Additionally, the bill would prohibit migrants who are arriving from Canada or Mexico from seeking asylum unless they have previously been denied asylum. This would not apply to migrants who are seeking asylum because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution, according to the summary.
The discussion draft also proposes to remove barriers that currently prevent the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from removing asylum seekers to a safe third country, among other provisions.
“There is still more to be done and I remain committed to soliciting feedback and doing whatever it takes to solve this problem so we can actually help our communities,” said Rep. Hurd. “Good policy is good politics — not the other way around.”