Immigration judges now reject nearly 80 percent of asylum claims as the Trump administration implements strict border enforcement policies, marking a dramatic shift from previous years when approval rates reached 50 percent.

Deportation Numbers Surge

December 2025 saw 38,215 deportations, nearly double the 19,265 recorded in December 2023 under the Biden administration. The enforcement has remained consistent, with over 30,000 monthly deportations since Trump took office. Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse compiled the data showing this sustained increase in removals.

Former immigration judge Andrew Arthur notes the administration’s comprehensive approach. Michael Cutler, who spent three decades with Immigration and Naturalization Services, emphasizes that asylum requires demonstrating credible fear of persecution, not economic hardship or gang activity in neighborhoods.

Sharp Policy Reversal

The current approach contrasts sharply with Biden-era policies. In May 2022, judges approved 50 percent of asylum claims during a year when 2.76 million people crossed the southern border. Biden previously stated America could absorb four million more immigrants, calling resistance to accepting desperate people absolutely bizarre.

Trump’s campaign highlighted cases like Laken Riley’s murder at the University of Georgia and Rachel Morin’s killing in Maryland. Patricia Morin, Rachel’s mother, told reporters that voters chose safety as their top priority. She criticized Democrats for showing compassion only to criminals while ignoring victims.

Long-Term Impact

Maureen Maloney, whose son Matthew Denice died in a drunk-driving incident involving an undocumented immigrant in 2011, called Biden’s border policies treasonous. As vice president of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime, she acknowledges the impossibility of deporting millions who entered during the previous administration but supports current enforcement efforts.