Marsha Espinoza, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, confirmed today, Saturday, that officials involved in refugee matters will conduct initial screenings for a small number of migrants held by border authorities within the days to come. She added that the interviews will be conducted over the phone, and migrants will be able to communicate with a legal advisor during the screening.
She noted that "the experience of faster asylum screenings will lead to better practices" if the administration decides to implement it on a broader scale in the future, refusing to disclose the location where this experiment will take place next week.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that "the administration of President Joe Biden will begin next week testing faster procedures for screening migrants who are caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, as part of preparations to end border restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in May."
