Venezuelans, whose country has grown increasingly authoritarian and lawless amid an economic collapse, now make up the largest group by nationality of people seeking asylum in the United States. Nearly 28,000 Venezuelan asylum petitions, some for more than one individual, were submitted in 2017 by people making "affirmative" claims that they assert upon or after their arrival in the U.S. Asylum claims typically take up to four years, though the Trump administration has been accelerating the process as part of a broader policy of increased immigration enforcement. Officials won't say how many had their asylum claims denied but lawyers and other experts say that it's the majority. Advocates for immigrants say asylum seekers misunderstand the system for a reason.

Source: ABC News August 29, 2018 04:05 UTC