(DCNF)—When U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joe Edlow returned for another stint in the Trump administration, he expected to wrangle with a mess left by the Biden administration’s border crisis.
Soon, however, Edlow would be met with a surprise. Not only was USCIS forced to tackle a record-setting pile of asylum cases, but he was tasked with leading an agency that, for 4 years, did very little to address immigration fraud. The director has since buckled down on asylum fraud, identifying discrepancies in immigration programs and tightening election integrity.
“What I didn’t know was what some of our backlogs turned into,” Edlow said to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Nominated by President Donald Trump in March and officially sworn into the position in July, Edlow took the reins of an agency put to the brink amid following 8.5 million migrant encounters along the southern border during the Biden era. Although largely unfazed by what he uncovered, the immigration chief says he was still taken aback by his predecessors’ sheer apathy for weeding out fraud.
Prior to leading the agency, Edlow had served as chief counsel and deputy director of USCIS during President Donald Trump’s first term in office. In July, he returned to a backlog of asylum cases that dwarfed the numbers he previously dealt with.
“We had about 450,000 cases that were pending on the asylum active docket,” Edlow said of the end of Trump’s first term. “When I got back, there were over 1.5 million cases.”
“Does anything surprise on me what they were doing? Yeah, what surprised me is they weren’t doing much,” he continued. “We already knew that there was a misalignment of priorities and resources, but that became painfully obvious that really USCIS was acting as kind of the the arm of the administration to help maneuver the parole programs, to do what they could on credible fear and to ultimately try to address the growing border crisis that the Bidens have created.”
Americans are painfully aware of the illegal immigration crisis that raged during most of President Joe Biden’s tenure.
Fiscal years 2023 and 2024 were the worst and second worst years, respectively, for inadmissible border encounters in history, according to Customs and Border Protection data, leading to an incredible strain of resources at border communities and major U.S. cities. Altogether, the Biden administration oversaw more than eight million migrant encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border during its four fiscal years in office.
Record-level immigration into the U.S. inevitably correlated to a monumental uptick in asylum claims, which are largely processed by USCIS.
There were roughly 311,000 pending affirmative asylum claims in January 2018, according to a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report. By the end of fiscal year 2022 — well into Biden’s tenure — this number nearly doubled to 625,000. By 2024, the backlog of affirmative asylum cases surpassed one million for the first time in history.
Affirmative asylum claims are distinct from defensive asylum claims in that they are lodged by foreign nationals already in the U.S. and not in deportation proceedings, according to USCIS. Defensive asylum claims are made by those already undergoing removal.
As illegal immigration skyrocketed, leaving federal immigration agents and local officials scrambling to keep up, the Biden administration implemented a slate of programs that GOP critics characterized as amnesty run-arounds to alleviate the terrible optics taking place at the Mexico border.
The Biden White House launched the CHNV program, allowing more than half a million Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan nationals to enter the U.S. Biden officials also revamped the CBP One app allowing foreign nationals to easily apply for asylum en masse, and extended deportation protections for a slate of countries, allowing their citizens to remain in the U.S.
Government officials that held the line against immigration fraud were largely given the boot, according to their accounts. A slate of Trump-appointed immigration judges were booted by the Biden administration, prompting GOP investigation at the time.
“I was punished by the Biden Administration for calling out fraudulent asylum claims while I was an Immigration Judge,” Matt O’Brien — who served as a judge during both the Trump and Biden administrations — said to the DCNF. O’Brien was fired by the Biden White House after establishing a tough record on asylum applicants.
Of the 288 asylum cases he decided, O’Brien granted asylum for 25, granted eight other types of relief and denied relief for 255, according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse data. This equated to a denial rate of 88.5%, well above the 57.7% average for all immigration court judges at the time, and a denial rate that earned him the disdain of open-border immigration activists.
“And that happened because open borders radicals love immigration fraud. They have treated it as a feature of the system, not a bug,” O’Brien said. “That’s why we currently have hundreds of thousands of Central Americans who have never experienced persecution getting asylum.”
O’Brien, who now serves as the deputy executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, was among several Trump-appointed immigration judges given the boot during the Biden administration, prompting an investigation by congressional Republicans at the time.
Edlow, not at the helm of the country’s legal immigration system, believes there was a “get-to-yes mentality” among USCIS during the Biden era, paving the way for fraudulent claims to get through.
In contrast, the Trump administration has gone to great lengths to shore up its fraud enforcement apparatus.
In just the past few months, USCIS has implanted new measures to better prevent foreign nationals from voting in U.S. elections and has illustrated how Special Immigrant Juvenile program was rife with adult gangbangers, sexual predators and even alleged murders. However, the USCIS chief says they’ve only just begun cracking down.
“We’ve got to return the integrity of the immigration system, and that’s really a job for USCIS,” Edlow said to the DCNF.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Safeguarding Your American Dream: Discover the Power of America First Healthcare
In today’s economy, healthcare costs remain one of the biggest threats to financial stability and family security. Americans work hard to build a better life, yet rising medical expenses can quickly erode savings, force tough trade-offs, and even push families toward debt or bankruptcy. Medical bills continue to rank as the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States, with millions facing underinsurance or unexpected out-of-pocket burdens that no one plans for. Many turn to government-run marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act, hoping for relief, only to discover that what appears affordable on paper often delivers higher long-term costs, limited real protection, and coverage that may not align with personal values or family needs.
America First Healthcare stands out as a private insurance agency dedicated to helping conservatives and families secure better coverage and better rates through customized, values-aligned options. By conducting free insurance reviews, the agency uncovers hidden gaps in existing policies and connects clients with private alternatives that emphasize personal responsibility, small-government principles, and genuine affordability—often delivering up to 20% savings while providing stronger protection for the American Dream.
The allure of marketplace plans is easy to understand: open enrollment periods, premium tax credits for many households, and the promise of “comprehensive” benefits mandated by law. Yet recent data reveals a different reality, especially after the expiration of enhanced premium subsidies at the end of 2025. Enrollment for 2026 dropped by more than one million people compared to the prior year, with many shifting to lower-tier bronze plans to keep monthly premiums manageable.
These plans feature significantly higher deductibles—averaging around $7,500 nationally—and greater cost-sharing requirements. Families who once paid modest amounts after subsidies now face average premium increases of $65 or more per month, even as they accept plans that leave them responsible for thousands in upfront costs before meaningful coverage kicks in.
High deductibles create a dangerous barrier to care. Studies show that people in such plans are less likely to seek timely treatment for chronic conditions, attend preventive screenings, or fill necessary prescriptions. A seemingly minor illness or injury can balloon into major expenses when patients delay care until problems worsen. For a family of four, a single hospitalization, cancer diagnosis, or unexpected surgery can easily exceed the deductible, triggering coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums that still leave substantial bills. One recent analysis noted that some proposed changes could push family deductibles toward $31,000 in future years, further exposing households to financial risk.
Beyond the numbers, marketplace plans often carry structural limitations. Coverage for certain critical services may include waiting periods or narrower networks that restrict access to preferred doctors and specialists. Preventive care is required to be covered without cost-sharing, but everything else—lab work, imaging, specialist visits, or ongoing treatment—typically waits until the deductible is met. This reactive model contrasts sharply with the proactive, holistic approach many families prefer, especially those focused on wellness, early intervention, and maintaining health to enjoy life rather than merely reacting to illness.
Values alignment represents another growing concern. Government-influenced plans operate within a framework shaped by federal mandates and political priorities that may not reflect conservative principles of limited government, personal freedom, and ethical stewardship. Families who want to direct their healthcare dollars toward providers and benefits that honor traditional values sometimes find marketplace options feel misaligned, forcing a compromise between affordability and conviction.
Private alternatives, by contrast, offer year-round flexibility without the restrictions of open enrollment windows. Independent agents can shop across a wider range of carriers to design plans tailored to specific family needs—whether that means lower deductibles for frequent medical users, broader provider networks, or add-ons that support wellness and preventive services from day one. Clients frequently report more stable premiums that do not automatically escalate each year, along with genuine cost savings once the full picture of deductibles, copays, and coverage depth is considered.
Take the experience of real families who made the switch. Amanda C. shared that her new plan felt “way better” than what she had through the marketplace. Johnny Y. noted his previous coverage kept increasing annually until he found a more stable private option. Sofia S. expressed delight with her plan and began recommending it to others. These stories echo a common theme: when families move beyond one-size-fits-all government marketplaces, they often discover customized protection that better safeguards both health and finances.
Founder Jordan Sarmiento’s own journey underscores the stakes. In 2021, a six-day hospitalization generated a $95,000 bill. Under a well-structured private “Conservative Care Coverage” plan, his out-of-pocket responsibility would have been just $500. That stark difference illustrates how thoughtful planning and private options can prevent a medical event from becoming a financial catastrophe.
Practical steps exist for anyone questioning their current coverage. Start with a no-obligation review of your existing policy to identify gaps—high deductibles, limited critical-care benefits, or escalating premiums. Compare total projected costs (premiums plus potential out-of-pocket expenses) rather than monthly premiums alone. Consider family health history, anticipated needs, and lifestyle priorities. Private agencies can present side-by-side options that include stronger wellness incentives, broader access, and plans built on shared values of self-reliance and freedom.
In an era when healthcare inflation continues to outpace general cost-of-living increases, relying solely on marketplace solutions carries growing risk. Families who proactively explore private alternatives frequently achieve meaningful savings while gaining peace of mind that their coverage truly works when needed most.
America First Healthcare makes this exploration straightforward through its free review process. Families and individuals receive personalized guidance to close coverage holes, reduce unnecessary expenses, and secure plans that align with conservative principles—protecting wallets, health, and the American Dream without government overreach. Many who complete a review discover they can enjoy better benefits for less, often saving up to 20% while gaining the customization and stability that marketplace plans struggle to deliver.
Ultimately, protecting your family’s future requires looking beyond the marketing of “affordable” government options. By understanding the long-term costs hidden in high deductibles, shifting coverage tiers, and values mismatches, Americans can make empowered choices. Private, values-driven insurance offers a smarter path—one that rewards diligence, supports wellness, and delivers real security. For those ready to move beyond the limitations of traditional marketplace plans, a simple review can reveal options designed to serve families, not bureaucracies. The American Dream thrives when individuals and families retain control over their healthcare decisions, and thoughtful private coverage plays a vital role in making that possible.