Expedited removal

Expedited removal is an immigration and nationality law process of the United States where an alien is denied admission to and/or removed from the country, without a hearing before an immigration judge, as provided pursuant to section 235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. § 1225). The expedited removal process can be applied to an alien who has been present for less than two years, who has not been admitted or paroled, who is inadmissible, and who is neither Cuban nor has indicated an intention to apply for asylum or a fear of persecution. The expedited removal process was enacted as part of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, passed by the 104th Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton.

Over time, the scope of application has been expanded and contracted at the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security, and as of 2025, is being applied at the maximum extent provided by law. Prior to 2025, the scope of expedited removal was limited to aliens who were encountered within 100-miles of a border of the United States and had been present for less than two weeks. Federal law exempts unaccompanied children from expedited removal.