ICYMI: @DHSgov is putting immigration lawyers on notice over asylum filings. @DHSGenCounsel James Percival sent a letter to the American Immigration Lawyers Association warning against what the department considers meritless asylum claims—pointing to nearly 3.5 million pending immigration cases, including 2.3 million asylum claims, as of July. Percival argues many claims involving generalized gang violence, crime, domestic abuse, economic hardship or instability do not meet the legal threshold for asylum—and says meritless cases are clogging the system and delaying those with potentially valid claims. Percival this week: “Most countries in the Western Hemisphere simply lack conditions supporting asylum claims. Abuse of our immigration system must stop.” The message to immigration attorneys: DHS intends to scrutinize asylum filings and pursue remedies when it determines claims cross the line into frivolous or fraudulent filings.