Congress moves to strip asylum protections, force deportations in 15 days

What it does

This bill amends immigration law to require the Attorney General to start removal proceedings immediately after a Notice to Appear is filed, and to complete all immigration court proceedings within 15 days of commencement for aliens convicted of deportable offenses. It overrides existing procedural timelines and asylum protections (including section 208(d)(5)(A)) to enforce this compressed schedule.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is a mandatory 15-day completion deadline for all immigration court proceedings, overriding existing procedural protections. It is functionally a due-process compression measure, not a substantive change to deportability standards.

What the text implies

• The 15-day deadline applies to ALL immigration court proceedings for aliens convicted of deportable offenses, including those with pending asylum claims, family-unity petitions, or complex factual disputes requiring discovery.
• The notwithstanding clause overrides section 208(d)(5)(A), which governs asylum interviews and credible-fear determinations—effectively eliminating the statutory asylum interview process for this population.
• The bill grants the Attorney General broad authority to 'take all actions' including promulgating regulations and issuing guidance, potentially allowing executive branch to further compress timelines or restrict counsel access without additional legislation.
• A 15-day completion deadline for immigration court proceedings is operationally infeasible for cases requiring translation, expert testimony, or complex legal issues, creating pressure to rubber-stamp removals or deny hearings on the merits.
• The bill does not define 'commenced' or clarify whether the 15-day clock runs from filing, service, or first hearing, creating ambiguity that may be resolved by executive regulation rather than statute.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill compresses removal proceedings from months to 15 days, eliminating time for legal representation, evidence gathering, and asylum interviews. Aliens—including those with valid asylum claims or U.S. family ties—face expedited deportation without meaningful due process. Citizens with immigrant family members or communities face accelerated family separation.

Named in the bill

Attorney General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Immigration Court, Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), Section 239(d) INA, Section 237(a) INA, Section 208(d)(5)(A) INA

Where it stands

4 cosponsors: 4 Republicans.

• Jun 5, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Jun 5, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.