Following President Joe Biden’s strict entry ban for asylum seekers, the number of Nepalis asylum seekers’ new immigration court cases has significantly declined. According to data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review, only 159 Nepalis filed for asylum in July 2024, a 74% decrease from November 2023, when a record 648 Nepalis sought asylum.
This downward trend continues a dramatic fall in new immigration court cases since Biden’s June 4 proclamation. The July numbers represent the lowest since March 2023. Top jurisdictions for Nepali asylum cases in July included New York (34), Texas (33), California (21), Arizona (12), and Colorado (9).
Currently, 8,537 Nepali asylum cases are pending in US immigration courts, while 7,149 have been approved over the past 25 years. Notably, illegal border crossings also decreased significantly in July, approaching the threshold required to reopen the border under Biden’s rules.
Data shows a fifth consecutive monthly decline in arrests of immigrants attempting to enter the US without a visa at the US-Mexico border, with the largest decrease in illegal immigration since 2020. Following Biden’s order, illegal border crossings fell to their lowest level in three years in June.
Under Biden’s rules, if the daily average of illegal crossings drops to 1,500 for seven consecutive days, the asylum ban will be lifted. However, if the average exceeds 2,500, the ban will resume. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas must make a factual determination about reaching the threshold.
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Susan Shrestha
View More PostsSusan Shrestha is a Europe-based journalist. He covers a wide range of topics, from local matters to global affairs. Shrestha previously worked as a reporter for Khasokhas in Nepal.
