US Asylum Rate is Now at the Lowest in Last 10 Years

The rate at which asylum seekers win protection in the United States has fallen to its lowest level in at least a decade as tougher enforcement policies reshape the immigration system under President Donald Trump.

Data from the US Department of Justice’s immigration court system shows judges decided more than 150,500 asylum cases in the first half of fiscal year 2026 but approved only 5,086 applications.

That pushed the asylum grant rate to just 3.4% of all possible outcomes. When only direct approvals and denials are counted, the approval rate stood at 8.8%.

The figures mark a sharp decline from previous years, when the approval rate was 24.4% in 2025, 45.7% in 2024 and 48.1% in 2023.

Immigration advocates say stricter legal interpretations, tighter court procedures and broader enforcement priorities have made asylum harder to obtain.

Claims based on gang violence and domestic violence have become more difficult to win, while judges have gained more power to dismiss incomplete applications quickly.

Many of the cases now reaching decisions involve migrants who entered the US during former President Joe Biden’s term and have only recently moved through the court backlog.

An analysis by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse found that removal orders made up about four-fifths of completed immigration court cases in fiscal 2026.

The group also reported more than 59,000 asylum denials over 12 months, with successful claims falling to a fraction of earlier levels.

The tougher court outcomes have come alongside a broader deportation push. The Department of Homeland Security says more than 605,000 removals and deportations have taken place since January 2025, while immigration watchdogs estimate the total could be higher.

For migrants from Pakistan and other countries seeking protection in the US, the message is clear: the asylum gate is not just narrowing — it is practically auditioning for the role of a locked door.