When Joe Edrow, the director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), returned for another term in the Trump administration, he was hoping to confront the chaos left by the Biden administration’s border issues.
However, he found himself facing unexpected challenges. Not only was USCIS overwhelmed by a staggering number of asylum cases, but the agency had also spent four years with minimal efforts to address immigration fraud. Since then, Edrow has shifted focus away from asylum fraud, pinpointed inconsistencies in immigration policies, and aimed to enhance the agency’s integrity.
“What I wasn’t aware of was how much our backlogs had changed,” Edrow shared.
Appointed in March and sworn in by July, Edrow inherited an agency that had dealt with 8.5 million immigrants arriving at the southern border during Biden’s tenure. While he wasn’t surprised by the volume of cases, he expressed astonishment at his predecessor’s neglect of fraud-related issues.
Before leading USCIS, Edrow served as the chief advisor and deputy director under Trump during his first term. Upon his return, he noted an alarming increase in the backlog of asylum cases, which had ballooned since Trump’s administration.
“At the end of Trump’s first term, there were around 450,000 pending cases,” he explained. “Now, it’s over 1.5 million.”
“Did I expect it would be this bad? Honestly, yes,” he continued. “We knew there were inefficiencies, but it has become painfully clear that USCIS seems to be acting as an extension of the administration’s agenda to manage its parole program and handle the border situation created by Biden.”
Americans have grown acutely aware of the illegal immigration crisis that has persisted throughout Biden’s presidency.
Reportedly, 2023 and 2024 were the worst years on record for encounters at the border. According to data from Customs and Border Protection, this surge has strained resources in border communities and major cities. Over Biden’s time in office, there were more than 8 million encounters with immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border.
This unprecedented immigration level is linked to a dramatic rise in asylum claims, primarily managed by USCIS.
Back in January 2018, there were approximately 311,000 positive asylum claims. By the end of 2022, that figure had surged to around 625,000. By 2024, the backlog of positive asylum claims exceeded 1 million for the first time ever.
USCIS clarifies that positive asylum claims differ from defensive ones, as the former do not involve deportation proceedings but are filed while individuals are still in the U.S.
As illegal immigration rises and federal agents scramble to respond, the Biden administration has rolled out a series of programs. Critics from the GOP suggest these measures aim to address the alarming visuals at the Mexican border.
The Biden White House introduced the CHNV program, which permits over half a million citizens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S.
It’s believed that officials tasked with combating immigration fraud were sidelined during this period, while judges appointed under Trump faced changes from the Biden administration.
Matt O’Brien, an immigration judge who served under both administrations, shared that he was penalized for highlighting fraudulent asylum claims and was eventually dismissed by Biden’s administration after maintaining strict standards for asylum seekers.
Out of the 288 cases he ruled on, O’Brien granted asylum in 25 instances, while denying relief in 255, leading to an 88.5% rejection rate. This was notably higher than the average rejection rate for immigration judges at that time, which drew ire from immigration advocates.
According to O’Brien, “Open Borders Radicals seem to promote immigration scams as a feature of the system, not a flaw,” adding that this outlook has led to significant numbers of Central Americans remaining in a vulnerable state.
O’Brien, now a leader at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, reflected on the challenges faced by judges former Trump administration appointees encountered under Biden’s rule.
Edrow suggested that the atmosphere at USCIS during Biden’s administration leaned towards accepting more fraudulent claims, contrasting sharply with the previous administration’s efforts to hold fraud in check.
In the last few months, USCIS has introduced new protocols aimed at preventing foreigners from voting in U.S. elections, particularly regarding immigrant programs suspected of being exploited by serious offenders. However, Edrow noted they have only recently started to intensify their scrutiny.
“We need to restore the integrity of the immigration system. That’s the fundamental role of USCIS,” Edrow remarked.
