The Trump administration is preparing to take its hardline immigration stance to the world stage. Officials plan to push the United Nations (UN) to narrow global asylum rights, marking a major shift in international migration policy.
A Push for Stricter Asylum Rules
According to State Department documents, the U.S. will propose that asylum seekers must claim protection in the first country they enter. This means people fleeing persecution could no longer choose where to apply for safety.
In addition, asylum would become temporary. Host countries would decide when conditions in a person’s home country had improved enough for them to return. This is a sharp break from the current system, where asylum often leads to permanent protection.
Challenging Post-War Agreements
The proposal will be presented at a side event during the UN General Assembly in New York. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is expected to lead the session.
The plan directly challenges the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. These agreements set out the right to asylum for people fleeing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, politics, or membership in a social group.
Support and Opposition
Supporters argue that the current asylum system is “abused” by economic migrants. Andrew Veprek, nominated to head the State Department’s refugee office, said the framework was created after World War II and does not fit today’s challenges.
Refugee advocates strongly disagree. Mark Hetfield, president of HIAS, warned that changing asylum rules could leave people with no safe escape. “If it were to change, we’d be back to the situation we were in during the Holocaust,” he said.
A Global Shift in Migration Policy?
If adopted, the plan would mark one of the most dramatic changes in global asylum policy in decades. It reflects President Trump’s broader goal of restricting migration and could reshape how nations respond to humanitarian crises.
