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Original Date Announced
April 17, 2026U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted an alert announcing that, effective May 18, 2026, the agency will no longer permit attorneys and accredited representatives to participate remotely in interviews at Field Offices and in affirmative asylum and Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) 203 interviews at asylum offices, except in limited circumstances. Under this updated policy, all legal representatives are required to be physically present to attend these interviews.
Trump 2.0 [ID #2271]
2026.04.17 USCIS - Preparing for Your Affirmative Asylum InterviewEffective Date
May 18, 2026Subsequent Trump and Court Action
April 21, 20262026.04.21 Reported: Immigration attorneys banned from using video links - Newsweek
Newsweek explains that the change restores USCIS's pre-pandemic policy requiring in-person representation by attorneys and accredited representatives at interviews in field and asylum offices. It reports that the exceptions for the in-person requirement include interviews involving individuals in government custody, including unaccompanied children, cases requiring disability-related reasonable accommodations, and other situations approved at the discretion of the USCIS office director.
Newsweek notes that advocates have argued that eliminating remote access removes key benefits like lower travel costs, expanded geographic access to counsel, and reduced logistical burdens, making it much harder for applicants to secure representation. Experts have also raised the concern that the increased burden on counsel and the applicant may threaten the right to counsel and due process.
View DocumentCurrent Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: Final/ActualTrump Administration Actions: Agency Directive Change in PracticeSubject Matter: Hearings and Adjudications Asylum, Withholding and CAT Humanitarian
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
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