Three years ago, asylum seekers had a 50% chance of winning protection in court. Today, this figure has plummeted to just 6%. A new rule implemented this summer permits asylum officers to direct applicants to immigration court without an interview. This change is part of a wider effort to tighten evidentiary requirements and speed up proceedings to increase deportations. Many legal experts believe that success in these cases is becoming improbable.
In the face of increased ICE arrests, legal representation is more critical than ever. Data shows that immigrants with lawyers are 4.7 times more likely to gain relief than those without. Skilled attorneys not only assist with asylum but also identify other protection options, including lesser-known pathways. As the system becomes more complex, legal knowledge determines the outcome of deportation versus protection. Despite this, over half of immigrants nationwide lack representation due to financial and access barriers.
The situation is dire in rural America, which houses approximately 1.8 million immigrants. Although they make up only about 5% of the population, these individuals are vital to their communities. For instance, immigrants account for 28% of the rural agricultural workforce and 14% of rural physicians and surgeons. Yet, accessing an immigration lawyer in small towns is challenging. While 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, only 2% of all practicing attorneys serve these regions. Some areas face such shortages that they are termed “legal deserts,” where few attorneys manage large areas, often working pro bono.
AI technology can significantly impact these rural legal deserts. Asylum applications typically require 50 to 75 hours of research, case management, and document review over several months. AI is well-suited for tasks like these, providing meaningful support where human resources are limited by reducing time on research and repetitive tasks.
With the rapid integration of AI into legal work, many law firms and organizations have started utilizing these tools. Thomson Reuters’ AI for Justice program has enabled legal nonprofits to prepare urgent case materials up to 75% faster. At the Innocence Center, AI has halved the preparation time for wrongful conviction petitions, reducing it from one year to six months. A study by the University of California-Berkeley revealed that 90% of legal aid lawyers using AI tools experienced increased productivity, largely from research and document management work typical in immigration cases.
While AI products are not without their limitations, such as potential errors in data and statistics, effective tools can address these through audit logs and verifying sources. Attorney oversight remains crucial. AI’s real value lies in its support of lawyers, not as a replacement. Amid fears about AI’s impact on jobs, there’s insufficient discussion about its ability to bolster resources in underserved sectors. Particularly in rural immigration law, AI holds the potential to enhance representation and services where needed most.
Ella Tesone is a high school student from Norwich, Vt. She is the founder of Asyla LLC, a social enterprise providing AI-powered software for immigration attorneys.
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