US Vice President JD Vance on 20 May accused the previous Biden administration of allowing the American asylum system to become what he called 'totally fraudulent,' asserting that migrants were coached to falsely claim persecution in order to gain entry and receive work permits. Speaking at a White House news conference, Vance said the Trump administration had since closed the loophole and was actively pursuing prosecutions through a dedicated fraud task force.

What Vance Alleged

The Vice President argued that the core abuse was systematic: migrants who were, in his words, 'traditional economic immigrants' presented themselves as asylum seekers fleeing persecution. Once admitted, many were released into the US interior with work permits and scheduled for immigration hearings that could be 10 to 12 years away.

'What we believe in this White House is what we need more and more of is high wages for American workers and investing in our own people,' Vance said, framing tighter border enforcement as an economic imperative rather than solely a security one.

The 'Amnesty' Charge

Vance described the prior process as effectively amounting to 'amnesty,' arguing it lacked adequate background screening. 'What if that person was a criminal? What if that person actually had a violent history?' he asked, contending that the Biden administration failed to vet claimants adequately before granting them access to the country's interior.

He also reiterated his opposition to any broad amnesty legislation currently being debated in Congress, including proposals that would extend work visas to undocumented immigrants already in the country.

Trump Administration's Response

Vance said the current administration's fraud task force is focused on identifying and prosecuting individuals who allegedly exploited the asylum process. 'It is something that we have fixed in the Trump administration,' he said, without providing specific figures on prosecutions initiated or pending.

Notably, the White House did not release supporting data on the scale of alleged fraud at the news conference, and the claims have not been independently verified.

Broader Western Context

Vance extended his remarks beyond US borders, addressing anti-immigration protests in the United Kingdom and arguing that Western nations have a legitimate right to control their borders and protect their labour markets and cultural identity.

'It's okay to wanna defend your culture. It's okay to wanna live in a safe neighbourhood,' he said. He also attributed pressure for higher immigration levels to 'Wall Street bankers, corporate lobbyists, and government officials' whom he accused of prioritising cheap labour over domestic wages.

What Comes Next

The remarks signal that immigration enforcement — and retrospective scrutiny of asylum claims processed under the previous administration — will remain a central policy and political priority for the Trump White House. How many cases the fraud task force ultimately pursues, and whether prosecutions withstand legal challenge, will determine whether Vance's claims translate into measurable policy outcomes.