Page 13 - Us Immigration Policy

Indian students turning to US as Canada, Australia, UK tighten rules

In recent years, several countries have been tightening their immigration rules, directly impacting international students

Biden's new policy to give deportation protection to spouses of US citizens

President Joe Biden is planning to announce a sweeping new policy Tuesday that would lift the threat of deportation for tens of thousands of people married to US citizens, an aggressive election-year action on immigration that had been sought by many Democrats. Biden was hosting a White House event to celebrate an Obama-era directive that offered deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants and will announce the new programme then, according to three people briefed on the White House plans. The policy will allow roughly 490,000 spouses of US citizens an opportunity to apply for a parole in place programme, which would shield them from deportations and offer them work permits if they have lived in the country for at least 10 years, according to two of the people briefed. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the announcement publicly. The White House on Monday declined to comment on the announcement. Families who would

Biden admin urged to take steps to protect over 250K 'Documented Dreamers'

A bipartisan group of 43 lawmakers has urged the Biden administration to take urgent action to protect more than 250,000 Documented Dreamers, a significantly large number of whom are Indians, who will be forced to self-deport after ageing out of the temporary legal status derived through their parents' visas. Documented Dreamers are foreign nationals who entered the United States as dependents under their parents' temporary, nonimmigrant visa status, usually a work visa. Despite growing up in the US with legal status, children of long-term visa holders age out of their dependent status when they turn 21 and are often left with no choice but to leave the United States if they cannot transition to a new status, the lawmakers said in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur M Jaddou. This is because, in part, their families' adjustment of status applications face extensive backlogs, preventing them fr

Biden preparing to stop asylum if daily average of migrants reaches 2,500

The White House is telling lawmakers that President Joe Biden is preparing to sign off on an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the US-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 at ports of entry, with the border reopening only once that number declines to 1,500, according to several people familiar with the discussions. The impact of the 2,500 figure means that the executive order could go into immediate effect, because daily figures are higher than that now. The Democratic president is expected to unveil the actions -- his most aggressive unilateral move yet to control the numbers at the border -- at the White House on Tuesday at an event to which border mayors have been invited. Five people familiar with the discussions on Monday confirmed the 2,500 figure, while two of the people confirmed the 1,500 number. The figures are daily averages over the course of a week. All of the people insisted on anonymity to discuss an executive order

Indian Americans should run for office at all levels: Raja Krishnamoorthi

It's time for Indian Americans to run for office at all levels and never miss to vote, influential Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told community members gathered here from across the country. We have to vote. Will everyone here vote in that coming election? Because we can talk politics all day, but doing politics is what matters. Remember, politics is not just a noun, it's a verb. And we have to do politics this year. We have to vote, Krishnamoorthi told a room full of eminent Indian Americans who had gathered in the American Capital for the annual summit of Indian American Impact, a Democratic think-tank. Secondly, we have to work on political causes bigger than ourselves. We have to support our local mandirs. We have to support our local mosques. We have to support our local not-for-profits. I hope you do that and you give generously. But we also have to work on political issues bigger than ourselves, said the Indian American Congressman, who represents the suburb of Chicago in th

US immigration adds 'third gender' option on citizenship forms

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a third gender option, "X," on the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Watch the video to learn how one can update

Immigrants contribute to economy but there's worry over risks: US citizens

Americans are more worried about legal immigrants committing crimes in the U.S. than they were a few years ago, a change driven largely by increased concern among Republicans, while Democrats continue to see a broad range of benefits from immigration, a new poll shows. The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that substantial shares of U.S. adults believe that immigrants contribute to the country's economic growth, and offer important contributions to American culture. But when it comes to legal immigrants, U.S. adults see fewer major benefits than they did in the past, and more major risks. About 4 in 10 Americans say that when immigrants come to the U.S. legally, it's a major benefit for American companies to get the expertise of skilled workers in fields like science and technology. A similar share (38%) also say that legal immigrants contribute a major benefit by enriching American culture and values. Both those figures were down compared

Four, including 3 Indians, arrested while illegally entering US from Canada

At least four people, including three Indian nationals, have been arrested in Up state New York along the Canada border when they were trying to enter the US illegally, officials here said on Wednesday. The US Border Patrol arrested four people, including a woman, when they were jumping off a moving freight train on the International Railroad Bridge in the city of Buffalo. The fourth person, a man, was identified from the Dominican Republic. The men left the woman who became immobile due to an injury as they were approached by the police and were caught shortly after a foot pursuit. The injured woman received first aid from Erie County Sheriff's deputies and US Customs and Border Protection officers (CBP). After treatment, the woman was transported by ambulance to a local medical centre. The investigation concluded that all four people were undocumented non-citizens. The three men are being processed for removal and detained in Batavia Federal Detention Facility awaiting a deport

US needs highly qualified professionals from India, says Congressman

The United States needs highly qualified professionals from India, an influential American lawmaker has said, advocating that the US Congress remove the seven per cent country quota for issuing of Green Cards that has resulted in decades of long wait for professionals from India who have moved to this country. It's so important that Indians are able to immigrate to the United States when they're looking for jobs because the United States depends on high quality, high skilled, very smart people coming from all over the world to work here. It's one of the natural advantages of the United States that we welcome people from all over the world, Congressman Matt Cartwright, who represents the 8th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, told PTI in an interview. Cartwright is supporting the move by Indian American organisations, including the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora (FIIDS) for removing the per country seven per cent quota in issuing Green Cards every year. The problem is

US lawmakers to address Green Card, H-1B issues at immigration summit

Eminent lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties at an immigration summit have called for urgently addressing the Green Card backlog, an issue that is majorly impacting Indian professionals and the issues related to the H-1B visa. At the first-of-its-kind 'Tech Immigration Summit' at the US Capitol on Monday hosted by the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora (FIIDS), the lawmakers pushed for removing the seven per cent country quota when it comes to issuing Green Card or legal permanent residency to foreign guest workers in specialised categories. In the absence of such a move, the Green Card waiting period for Indian immigrants would be more than 20 years and over 70 years in many cases. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently. Congressman Ro Khanna, who is also co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus, called f

Programme that allows 30K migrants from 4 nations into US each month upheld

A federal judge in Texas on Friday upheld a key piece of President Joe Biden's immigration policy that allows a limited number of migrants from four countries to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds, dismissing a challenge from Republican-led states that said the program created an economic burden on them. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ruled in favor of the humanitarian parole program that allows up to 30,000 asylum-seekers into the U.S. each month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela combined. Eliminating the program would undercut a broader policy that seeks to encourage migrants to use the Biden administration's preferred pathways into the U.S. or face stiff consequences. Texas and 20 other states that sued argued the program is forcing them to spend millions on health care, education, and public safety for the migrants. An attorney working with the Texas attorney general's office in the legal challenge said that the program created a shadow immigration ...

Spouses, kids of H1-B visa holders to get automatic work authorisation

In a huge relief for H-1B visa holders, a White House-backed bipartisan deal has been unveiled under which automatic work authorisation would be granted to about 100,000 H-4 visa holders, who are spouses and children of a certain category of H-1B visa holders. The National Security Agreement that was announced on Sunday after long negotiations between the Republican and the Democratic leadership in the US Senate also provides a solution to about 250,000 aged-out children of H-1B visa holders. The move comes as good news for hundreds and thousands of Indian technology professionals who are waiting in a painstakingly long wait for a Green Card, in the absence of which their spouses cannot work and their aged-out children face the threat of deportation. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently. The per-country caps are numerical limits on t

Another Indian student found dead in US, third such case within a week

Another Indian student in the United States named Shreyas Reddy has been found dead in Cincinnati, Ohio, making it the third such case within a week

Republican lawsuit threatens Biden's immigration policy used to come to US

Valerie Laveus remembers when she first heard about an immigration program designed to allow people to come to the US from four countries, including her native Haiti. I said, Whoa! This seems like it would work well for bringing my nephew and my brother into the country,' said the Florida teacher, who received a WhatsApp message in January and verified with an immigration lawyer that the programme was real. After years of trying to get a green card, her brother arrived with her nephew in early August, ready to start a new life. They are two of the roughly 181,000 people who have entered the US under the humanitarian parole program since President Joe Biden launched the initiative. But 21 Republican-leaning states threaten to end the program through a lawsuit to determine its legality, which is set to be heard in a Texas court beginning Thursday, with a decision coming later. If the Biden administration loses, it would undercut a broader policy seeking to encourage migrants to use t

US judge blocks Biden attempt to end Trump-era 'Remain in Mexico' policy

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in US immigration court. US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas stayed the termination until legal challenges by Texas and Missouri are settled but didn't order the policy reinstated. The impact on the programme wasn't immediately clear. It's a common sense policy to prevent people from entering our country illegally, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted after the ruling. Texas wins again, for now. The ruling could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal. An email requesting comment from the Department of Homeland Security wasn't immediately returned. Under President Donald Trump, about 70,000 asylum-seekers were forced to wait in Mexico for US hearings under the policy introduced in January 2019. President Joe Biden who said it goes against everything we stand for as a nation of ...

US govt revokes Trump-era immigration rule to expand healthcare benefits

The Biden administration has officially undone a Trump-era rule that barred immigrants from gaining legal residency if they had utilized certain government benefits, allowing for a return to a previous policy with a narrower scope. The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday said a new regulation for the public charge rule would go into effect in late December, although the Biden administration had already stopped applying the previous version last year. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the shift ensures fair and humane treatment. Consistent with America's bedrock values, we will not penalize individuals for choosing to access the health benefits and other supplemental government services available to them, he said. The public charge regulation bars people from getting green cards if they would be burdens to the United States. For years prior to the Trump administration, that was interpreted as being primarily dependent on cash assistance,

US Supreme Court certifies month-old ruling ending Trump border policy

The Supreme Court has certified its month-old ruling allowing the Biden administration to end a Trump-era border policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for hearings in US immigration court

USCIS reverses Trump-era policy denying certain immigrant visa applications

In 2018, The Trump administration gave its immigration officials more power to reject H-1B visa applications outright.

US citizenship agency eyes improved service without plan to pay

Less than a year after being on the verge of furloughing about 70 per cent of employees to plug a funding shortfall, the U.S. agency that grants citizenship, green cards and temporary visas wants to improve service without a detailed plan to pay for it, including granting waivers for those who can't afford to pay fees, according to a proposal obtained by The Associated Press. The Homeland Security Department sent its 14-page plan to enhance procedures for becoming a naturalised citizen to the White House for approval on April 21. It involves U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of Homeland Security and has been operating entirely on fees, without funding from Congress. The plan describes short- and long-term changes that reflect a realistic assessment of our aspirations and limitations, including more video instead of in-person interviews with applicants, authorising employees to administer citizenship oaths instead of having to rely on federal judges, and ...

Increase in visas, focus on southern border: New immigration bill shapes up

It would be a sharp reversal of Trump administration policies, and parts are likely to face opposition from a number of Republicans. Biden has acknowledged he might accept a more-piecemeal approach