Articles Posted in Immigration News

The Biden Administration and the Congressional Democrats have created a new immigration reform bill, “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.” Senator Menendez (D, NJ) has introduced the bill to the Senate and Representative Sánchez (D, CA) has introduced an identical bill the House.

Here are just some of the highlights of the upcoming legislation:

• Establish an “earned path to citizenship” for “eligible entrants” (and their spouses and children) that provides for an initial period of authorized admission as a “lawful prospective immigrant,” valid for six years and extendable. Qualifying individuals would also receive a work permit and travel authorization. A lawful prospective immigrant could become eligible for permanent residence after at least five years of prospective status. Prospective applicants would need to have been in the United States before 2021.

Last spring at the beginning of the Pandemic, former President Trump stopped the issuance of green cards until the end of the year citing American job loss, this basically blocked legal immigration. Just before leaving office he extended the ban until the end of March 2021. On Wednesday, President Biden lifted that order!

In his proclamation, President Biden states that shutting the door on legal immigrants “does not advance the interests of the United States.” The proclamation also states, “To the contrary, it harms the United States, including by preventing certain family members of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents from joining their families here. It also harms industries in the United States that utilize talent from around the world,”.

Presidential Action: A Proclamation on Revoking Proclamation 10014

USCIS announced on Thursday, February 28th, that they were extending the flexibilities that they originally announced on March 30th. These flexibilities are for responding to certain requests from the USCIS, some are listed below:

• Requests for Evidence;
• Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);

A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked the new Biden administration’s 100-day moratorium on deportations! Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration last week. He is arguing that the moratorium violated federal law and an agreement he signed with the Trump administration. U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton, a Trump appointee in the Southern District of Texas, issued a temporary restraining order that blocks the policy nationwide for 14 days. The administration has appealed the ruling!

For complete details, please review Reuters News Article, “US Judge Blocks Deportation Freeze in Swift Setback for Biden”.

Source of Information:

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has released a video summary of the new Biden Administration’s first 100 days of actions! This video clip is from the AILA University Video Roundtable “Biden Administration Immigration Action Roundtable Series” and was recorded on January 22, 2021. This is a recorded video of a live meeting updating and discussing President Biden’s Executive Actions and Orders taken up to this date.

Video – Biden’s First 100 days – ALIA Up-to-Date Video Review – 1/22/21

Source of Information:

Days after President Trump made the unusual move of removing Acting Secretary of DHS, Chad F. Wolf’s nomination from the U.S. Senate, he has resigned! Acting Secretary Wolf made his resignation effective the end of the day, Monday, January 11, 2021. He has been Acting Secretary of DHS since November 13, 2019 and was appointed by President Trump.

For complete details, please review this copy of Wolf’s Letter, “Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf’s resignation letter”.

Source of Information:

On January 3^rd, President Trump sent a nomination withdrawal to the Senate for Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad F. Wolf. Wolf has been Acting Secretary of DHS since November 13, 2019 and was appointed by President Trump.

Source of Information:

Whitehouse (Whitehouse.gov), 1/7/21, NOMINATIONS & APPOINTMENTS:

On a phone call on Saturday, December 19^th, President-elect Joe Biden, and Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador discussed the immigration problems in the region. They committed to working on a more humane strategy to their shared immigration problems, with their main problem coming from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and southern Mexico.

A member of Biden’s Presidential Transition Team stated, “the regional and border infrastructure and capacity needed to facilitate a new orderly and humane approach to migration that will respect international norms regarding the treatment of asylum claims,”.

For further details please review the Reuters News Article, “U.S. President-elect Biden, Mexico’s president vow to cooperate on immigration”.

The final days of a Presidential Administration often proves to be very busy! The Trump Administration will try to finish work on their key immigration priorities and try to preserve their immigration policies. They feel that the Trump administration will continue working hard until January 20, 2021 to make changes. This American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Alert points out and lists many of the possible changes the present Administration may make. They have also prioritized which changes will be the main targets. For further details please review the AILA Document, “Trump Policies That May Be Finalized Before Inauguration Day 2021”.

 
 
Source of Information:

AILA (AILA.org), 12/9/20, AILA Doc. No. 20112338: