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2.0

EOIR Director rescinds two PMs and one DM deemed outdated or unnecessary

  1. Original Date Announced

    May 22, 2026

    EOIR Director Daren Margolin issued Policy Memorandum (PM) 26-04 to rescind two Policy Memos and one Director Memo (DM) that it deemed outdated or unnecessary:

    • PM 20-16, OCAHO Settlement Officer Program: The memo created a settlement officer program for cases pending before the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO). PM 26-04 states that the tenets of PM 20-16 have since been codified in applicable regulations.
    • PM 20-06, Section 7611 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, Public Law 116-92: This memo provided guidance on a temporary amnesty program for certain Liberian nationals. PM 26-04 states that because the application period for the program closed in 2021, PM 20-06 is consequently mostly outdated, although the underlying law still applies in relevant cases.
    • DM 22-08, The Asylum Procedures Rule: The directive provided guidance on a 2022 interim final rule, which (1) allowed USCIS to adjudicate, in the first instance, certain asylum claims made by noncitizens found to have credible fears of persecution or torture; and (2) where USCIS declines to grant such a claim, placed the noncitizen in streamlined removal proceedings before an immigration judge. PM 26-04 states that because EOIR adjudicators are now familiar with the rule and DHS has stopped using and plans to rescind the process, the guidance is no longer needed. The PM also opines that EOIR doubts the rule was lawful and would not be willing to defend it in federal court litigation.

    Trump 2.0 [ID #2281]

    2026.05.22 EOIR PM 26-04: Cancellation of Memoranda
  2. Effective Date

    May 22, 2026

Current Status

None

Original Trump Policy Status

Status: Final/Actual
Trump Administration Action: Agency Directive
Agencies Affected: EOIR

Pre Trump-Era Policies

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