DHS Directs ICE to Target False Asylum Claims

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to intensify its efforts against fraudulent asylum applications, specifically zeroing in on immigration lawyers.

According to a press release from Tuesday, the department claims, “Immigration attorneys representing illegal aliens frequently coach their clients to conceal their past and even outright lie in their asylum claims.”

This new directive gives ICE attorneys expanded powers to take action against immigration lawyers who submit false claims in court.

DHS referenced a U.S. law that details penalties for document fraud, stating that they’ve directed ICE to create anti-fraud policies to strengthen enforcement.

DHS General Counsel James Percival remarked, “For many years, millions of illegal aliens have committed fraud in our immigration system. No place is this more rampant than in immigration court.”

He further emphasized that claims like asylum are meant for specific and limited situations, yet many attorneys assert that nearly every illegal alien is at risk of persecution or torture in their home country.

Percival shared that while the agency typically relies on immigration judges and existing fraud laws to discourage such practices, ICE has additional measures at its disposal.

“Now, thanks to this directive, ICE attorneys have greater authority to enforce the law and stop the abuse of our asylum system by illegal aliens and attorneys,” he added.

The DHS indicated that these initiatives align with President Donald Trump’s commitment to restoring integrity within the immigration system, referring to a memorandum issued in March 2025 that claimed fraudulent asylum applications are often encouraged by legal representatives.