The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new regulatory rule that could lead to the denial of asylum applications for migrants seeking entry into the United States if they are deemed a national security risk due to public health emergencies, according to WLUK FOX 11.
Under the newly revealed rule, asylum seekers can be barred from entry or have their applications denied if they pose a “risk to U.S. security as a result of certain public health emergencies,” particularly those related to communicable diseases. The rule went into effect on Wednesday.
Deportation Suspension and Public Health Debate
This development follows the finalization of a regulatory framework that dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was first proposed during President Donald Trump’s first term and has now been completed and adopted in its current form.
The new rule gives authorities the power to deny asylum based on public health emergencies stemming from contagious diseases, re-establishing a link between immigration policies and public health within the broader context of national security.
In a joint statement, the DHS and the U.S. Department of Justice explained that the final changes removed certain provisions deemed “outdated” from the 2020 version, while keeping the core operational provisions related to public health. The statement emphasized that the modifications allow the agencies to consider health risks as a legal barrier to asylum or a reason to suspend deportation in the event of a public health emergency.
Asylum, Deportation, and Public Health Concerns
Suspending deportation means that U.S. authorities are required not to return a person to their home country if it can be proven that doing so would expose them to persecution or torture by their government due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
The new rule reignites debates over the balance between public health protection and the right to asylum, particularly in light of prior experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, when emergency health measures were used to restrict entry for migrants and asylum seekers.
The rule is expected to face legal and human rights scrutiny from immigration and civil rights organizations. The administration emphasizes that the main goal of the measure is to prepare for future public health emergencies that could pose a wide-scale threat to U.S. security and public health.