Page 15 - Us Immigration Policy

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

President Biden clear about restoring compassion, order to immigration: WH

"The executive actions signed thus far are just the beginning," a White House spokesperson told PTI

US court seeks joint status on prospects of work authorisation for H4 visas

An H-4 visa is issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the H-1B visa holders

Biden administration moves to reverse Trump's migration agreements

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Biden's administration has begun the process to terminate migration agreements from Trump's administration with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Immigration policy: Biden to boost US refugee admissions after Trump cut

Former President Donald Trump had drastically reduced the refugee admissions cap to only 15,000 before he left office

Decision on H4 signals Biden's commitment to supporting immigrant women

An H-4 visa is issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the H-1B visa holders

US: Joe Biden to propose 8-year citizenship path for immigrants on Day 1

The bill is set to be introduced after Biden takes the oath of office Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the legislation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Google backs Biden's immigration efforts, pays fees of 500 Dreamers

Google said that it would donate $250,000 grants as application fees of about 500 young immigrants seeking employment under the US government program- the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Explained: All you should know about America's new H-1B selection process

Here's how US plans to modify H-1B visa selection process, priorities skill and wage levels

US to modify H-1B visa selection process, prioritise skill, wage levels

US Immigration will modify the H-1B selection process, prioritising wages to protect the economic interests of US workers and better ensure the most highly skilled foreign workers benefit from

Lawmakers urge Biden to extend work authorisations to H-1B holders' spouses

A group of 60 US lawmakers urged Biden to revoke a Trump administration policy and extend validity of work authorisation documents for H4 visa holders, who are spouses of those possessing H-1B visas