Border Policies, Visa Backlogs & More

U.S. continues controversial border policy

This week, the Biden administration has decided to continue the policy implemented by the Trump administration, which allows the rapid deportation of non-citizens in the United States / Mexico because of safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. did. More than 1.5 million people were expelled under this program, but did not have the opportunity to apply for any form of relief.

This measure allows US border authorities to deny entry and immediately deport them as a means of reducing the international spread of COVID-19, immigration status including asylum based on fear of returning to their country of origin. You will not be able to ask for. In August 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) instructed public health authorities to assess the need for policies every 60 days. Since this order, the Biden administration has reaffirmed the policy.

This policy has been challenged in federal court by human rights groups, public health experts, and defenders of asylum seekers. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) called on the Biden administration to overturn the decision to continue the program: “Legal right to seek asylum in the United States from legitimate asylum seekers and pursue claims. Its long-term use has created dangerous situations for vulnerable migrants, increased the number of dangerous cross-borders, and prevented the Biden administration from fulfilling its initial commitment to regaining access to asylum. “

The NM Immigration Blog will continue to monitor the use of the program by the Biden administration.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Want Funds to Reduce Visa Backlog

At this week’s stakeholder meeting, Ur Jaddou, director of the U.S. Citizens’ Immigration Service (“USCIS”), acknowledged that visa and other immigration applications are being processed more and more late, alleviating the delay. Requested Congress to provide additional funding for. The application has been suspended for months or years. USCIS is currently primarily funded by application fees.

Despite financial support for fees, Jaddou said USCIS needs “additional resources to reduce processing time, address unprecedented backlogs and an ever-increasing humanitarian mission.” .. In 2020, Congress gave USCIS urgent authority, collected higher fees for rapid processing, and served more types of applications, but USCIS only partially implemented the process. I have not. Jaddou also seeks public feedback from USCIS later this year on “a new, equitable pricing system that balances our goals of facilitating access to the system with the needs of our institutions.” Said.

Increasing demand for foreign healthcare workers

Due to the shortage of health workers in the United States, hospitals are looking for nurses and other positions in the medical industry abroad, especially in light of the influx of available permanent residents, commonly known as “green cards.” I am. Normally, the United States usually allocates about 140,000 green cards annually to people who permanently migrate to the United States for a particular profession, including much of the healthcare sector. However, the green card slots given to other categories, such as the families of U.S. citizens, are no longer used during travel shutdowns or embassy closures that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, so of the currently available green cards. The number is about double. Unused spots were then moved to other categories, including professionals.

The Biden administration has taken several steps to help foreign health workers enter or stay in the United States to assist in a pandemic. The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has indicated that it will speed up the renewal of work permits for healthcare workers, and last year the Department of Homeland Security urged the United States to prioritize applications for healthcare workers at facilities dealing with pandemics. I told the consulate.