July 17 - 23 U.S. Immigration Shutdown Looms As Congress Ponders What’s Next
Forbes | Andy J. Semotiuk | July 24 “Could the U.S. immigration system come to a grinding halt shortly? There are concerns that’s exactly what could happen due to a budgetary crisis that has arisen at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The full impact of a shortage of money and a shut down of service is hard to imagine, but it is likely to be huge. Congressional wrangling over what to include in the next major bipartisan pandemic response legislation – assuming Republicans and Democrats in Washington are able to eventually reach agreement - does not seem to include any reference to the USCIS problem so far.” More than 300,000 Immigrants May Not Become Citizens in Time to Vote as COVID-19 Stalls Process USA Today | Daniel Gonzalez (Arizona Republic) | July 21 “Alex Beric, a 44-year-old immigrant from England, applied for naturalization in May 2019. He was hoping to become a U.S. citizen in time to vote in the presidential election this November. But now he is one of more than 300,000 immigrants at risk of not becoming citizens in time to cast ballots after the federal agency in charge of processing naturalization applications suspended in-person interviews and oath ceremonies this spring amid the coronavirus pandemic.” Trump Signs Order Targeting Undocumented Immigrants in the US Census CNN | Kevin Liptak, Maegan Vazquez, Ariane de Vogue, and Catherine E. Shoichet | July 21 “President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Tuesday that would exclude undocumented immigrants from being counted in congressional districts when district lines are redrawn next year. The memorandum marks the Trump administration's latest effort to change the way US populations are counted and advance the President's immigration agenda. And like previous efforts, the issue will end up in court. "I have accordingly determined that respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process warrant the exclusion of illegal aliens from the apportionment base, to the extent feasible and to the maximum extent of the President's discretion under the law," the order states.”
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July 10 - 16 Many Fil-Am Families in LA Support Distance Learning Despite Equity Concerns
Balitang America | Steve Angeles | July 16 “The nation’s second-largest school system will continue with online learning until further notice. While Filipino community members are concerned that students from working families will lack guidance, and those who have no access to needed technology will not be able to catch up with their studies, many Filipino families are supporting distance learning, primarily because they refuse to bring their kids back to school during the pandemic.” Coronavirus Created a Backlog of Thousands Waiting for U.S. Citizenship. Will They Get It in Time to Vote? Time | Lissandra Villa | July 16 “In February, the Pew Research Center estimated more than 23 million U.S. immigrants would be eligible to vote, comprising about 10% of the national electorate. Now, because of the pandemic, Alvarez has landed on a long list of people who are worried their citizenship won’t come through in time to vote in the high-stakes election. Critics of the Trump Administration, which has aggressively pursued an anti-immigrant agenda, believe it is not moving fast enough on that backlog in a deliberate effort to disenfranchise immigrant voters.” U.S. Reverses Student Visa Curbs After Harvard, MIT Fight Bloomberg | Clare Roth, Janella Lawrence, and Janet Lorin | July 15 “The U.S. reversed a new policy on student visas after a high-profile confrontation with Harvard University, MIT and hundreds of other colleges, ending a standoff that could have sent thousands of students back to their home countries and left schools scrambling to plan for the fall. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs announced at an online hearing on Tuesday that the government had agreed to rescind last week’s requirement that international students take at least one in-person class, even amid the resurgent coronavirus pandemic and as colleges prepare online-only coursework. But she said the case isn’t closed, raising questions about the nature of the agreement and whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had abandoned its position or was retreating and regrouping to fight another day.” July 3 - 9 How the Trump Administration is Turning Legal Immigrants into Undocumented Ones
The Washington Post | Catherine Rampell | July 9 “The Trump administration is turning legal immigrants into undocumented ones. That is, the “show me your papers” administration has literally switched off printers needed to generate those “papers.” Without telling Congress, the administration has scaled back the printing of documents it has already promised to immigrants — including green cards, the wallet-size I.D.’s legal permanent residents must carry everywhere to prove they are in the United States lawfully." Trump is Now Blocking Most of the Legal Paths to Immigrate to the US CNN | Priscilla Alvarez and Catherine E. Schoichet | July 9 “As the coronavirus spreads around the world, the Trump administration has steadily choked off most avenues for legal immigration to the United States -- effectively shutting down the system that brings in hundreds of thousands of immigrants annually. In a span of four months, people who legally migrated to the United States -- or are trying to -- have had their lives uprooted amid a litany of changes attributed to the pandemic. The abrupt changes have left immigrants and their families in limbo -- confused, frustrated and scrambling to sort out their next steps. The reasons provided by the Trump administration vary, from protecting American workers at a time when the unemployment rate is high to putting public health first.” Trump Visa Rules Seen as Way to Pressure Colleges on Reopening New York Times | Miriam Jordan, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Dan Levin | July 7 “A directive by the Trump administration that would strip international college students of their U.S. visas if their coursework was entirely online prompted widespread confusion on Tuesday as students scrambled to clarify their statuses and universities reassessed their fall reopening policies amid the coronavirus pandemic. The White House measure, announced on Monday, was seen as an effort to pressure universities into reopening their gates and abandoning the cautious approaches that many have announced they would adopt to reduce Covid-19 transmission. The effect may be to dramatically reduce the number of international students enrolling in the fall. Together with delays in processing visas as a result of the pandemic, immigrant advocates say the new rules, which must still be finalized this month, might discourage many overseas students from attending American universities, where they often pay full tuition.” June 26 - July 2 $1 Billion Shortfall, Furloughs Could Bring US Immigration System to a Halt
CNN | Geneva Sands and Priscilla Alvarez | July 2 “The federal agency responsible for granting citizenship, providing immigration benefits, and processing visa applications is bracing to furlough over 13,000 employees next month -- a move that could grind the US immigration system to a halt. US Citizenship and Immigration Services, a fee-funded agency, says it's in the hole after having to close offices and put services on pause during the pandemic. Over recent weeks, the agency has been preparing to furlough more than half of its workforce unless Congress provides additional funding. The agency has asked for $1.2 billion.” Drive-Through Naturalizations Make New U.S. Citizens in the COVID-19 Era NPR | Max Rivlin-Nadler | July 2 “In El Cajon, Calif., a procession of cars carrying 600 soon-to-be U.S. citizens from 68 countries passed through a series of stations behind a local community center earlier this week, where they were asked a series of final questions: "Any coronavirus symptoms? Have you been arrested since your interview? No tickets, nothing like that?" After that, they were asked to surrender their green card and given a small U.S. flag. Driving a little farther forward, an immigration officer wearing a face cover administered the oath of allegiance 6 feet from the car's window. And in a matter of minutes, years of uncertainty were over — hundreds of people became U.S. citizens over the course of the day.” It Took Me 19 Years to Become a US Citizen. Here’s How My Journey Compares to the Average Immigrant Business Insider | Shayanne Gal | July 1 “In August 1998, when I was five years old, my family immigrated to the United States...In March 2017, almost 19 years later, I became a naturalized citizen at 24. Like so many naturalized citizens, my family's journey through the immigration process was a lengthy struggle that cost us thousands of dollars, required access to legal resources, and caused us a ton of stress and uncertainty about the future. It was 19 years of registrations, visa renewals, applications, and interviews.” June 19 - 25 12 Alternatives For Immigrants Blocked By Trump’s Proclamation
Forbes | Andy Semotiuk | June 26 “If you were planning to apply for one of the H-1B, H-2B, H4, L-1, or J-1 visas that President Trump just cancelled for the rest of this year, you are one of several hundred thousand people impacted by his decision. There is talk of even further restrictions coming...The question is: What other options do you have for coming to the United States or alternatives? Much depends on the visa being denied and your circumstances.” U.S. Supreme Court Bolsters Trump’s Power Over Rapid Deportation Reuters | Lawrence Hurley, Andrew Chung | June 25 “The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday enhanced the ability of President Donald Trump’s administration to quickly deport illegal immigrants including asylum seekers with limited judicial review, handing him a victory in a case involving one of his signature issues in an election year. The justices ruled in favor of the administration in its appeal of a lower court ruling that a Sri Lankan farmer named Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam had a right to have a judge review the government’s handling of his asylum bid. The ruling, written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, found that limiting judicial scrutiny in this rapid deportation case, known as expedited removal, did not violate key safeguards of individual liberty in the U.S. Constitution.” US Immigration Agency Prepares to Furlough More than Half of Its Workforce CNN | Priscilla Alvarez | June 24 The federal agency charged with granting immigration benefits, processing visa applications and approving citizenship is preparing to furlough more than half of its workforce unless Congress provides additional funding, according to a spokesperson. US Citizenship and Immigration Services notified Congress of its projected budget shortfall last month. While conversations with the Hill are ongoing, according to the agency's statement, preparation is underway for furloughs. Approximately 13,400 employees will be notified whether they'll be furloughed beginning August 3, an agency spokesperson said. June 12 - 18 How The Supreme Court’s DACA Decision Lessens The Doctor Shortage And Boosts Patient Care Forbes | Bruce Japsen | June 18 “A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to protect some 700,000 immigrants known as Dreamers helps future doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers to stay in the country. Hospitals, doctor groups, academic medical centers and medical schools cheered Thursday’s decision by the Supreme Court to prevent the Trump administration from proceeding with its plan to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which many healthcare interests said could exacerbate the U.S. doctor shortage and hurt patient care for thousands of Americans. There are currently nearly 200 medical student and resident Dreamers, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). And tens of thousands of healthcare workers at hospitals, clinics and other facilities treating hundreds of thousands of patients, medical groups said.” Setback on Immigration Policy Goal Leaves Trump Fuming Over Makeup of Courts New York Times | Michael D. Shear | June 18 “The Supreme Court protected young immigrants from immediate deportation on Thursday, but the decision ensured that their long-term fate would remain at the center of a divisive political clash as President Trump fights for another term in the final months of the 2020 election. The court’s opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., was a victory for so-called Dreamers, the young immigrants who face deportation and the loss of work permits if the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, is terminated. But the court did not say that Mr. Trump could not end it, only that he did not follow the proper rules and procedures in trying to do so.” Trump Administration Moves to Solidify Restrictive Immigration Policies New York Times | Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Maggie Haberman | June 12 "Under the cloak of a pandemic and the convulsions of anti-racist protests, the Trump administration continues to advance its policies to restrict legal immigration, halting the flow of foreign workers and raising the bar for asylum seekers hoping for sanctuary. This week, administration officials proposed a fallback for when they need to lift “emergency” border closure rules for the coronavirus, proposing regulations that would raise the standard of proof for migrants hoping to obtain asylum and allow immigration judges to deny applications for protection without giving migrants an opportunity to testify in court. June 5 - 11 Judge to Ice: Don’t Ambush Immigrants at New York Courthouses
New York Times | Benjamin Weiser | June 10 “In his ruling, Judge Jed S. Rakoff of Federal District Court in Manhattan ordered ICE to stop arresting people on the grounds of any New York State courthouse or as they travel to a courthouse as a party or witness to a lawsuit. The suit that Judge Rakoff ruled on was brought by the state attorney general, Letitia James, and the Brooklyn district attorney, Eric Gonzalez. ICE’s aggressive practices, they said, had “significantly chilled participation” in New York’s courts, deterring victims from reporting crimes, plaintiffs from bringing lawsuits and witnesses from helping law enforcement out of fear they would be detained. Trump Jobs Boast Undercuts New High-Skill Immigration Restrictions Forbes | Stuart Anderson | June 10 “Donald Trump’s recent effusive remarks on jobs and the U.S. economy contradict the administration’s legal and policy rationale for imposing new immigration restrictions on H-1B visa holders, international students and others, note attorneys and analysts. “This is outstanding, what’s happened today,” said President Trump in remarks on June 5, 2020, after the release of the latest jobs report. “Now, they thought the number would be a loss of 9 million jobs, and it was a gain of almost 3 million jobs. . . . I think it was incredible in a couple of ways. Number one, the numbers are great, and this leads us on to a long period of growth. We’ll have the greatest – we’ll go back to having the greatest economy anywhere in the world. Nothing close.” (Emphasis added.)” How to Limit a President’s Power Over Immigration Forbes | Stuart Anderson | June 8 “Since becoming president, Donald Trump has used the previously obscure authority in 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act more than any previous president and in ways critics view as dangerous. He may use this authority again in the new future to block the entry of foreign-born scientists and engineers on H-1B visas. “President Trump has also employed § 212(f) to impose restrictions that are broader than those most commonly imposed by his predecessors,” noted a recent analysis from the Congressional Research Service.” May 29 - June 4 Immigrants Anxious As They Await Supreme Court DACA Decision
Associated Press | Astrid Galvan | June 4 “Reyna Montoya’s hands get sweaty and her throat feels like it’s closing just talking about the anxiety of every Monday this spring. The immigrant rights activist who’s shielded from deportation and allowed to legally work in the U.S. under an Obama-era program sets a 6 a.m. alarm so she’s alert when the latest Supreme Court decision may be posted online about an hour later. Montoya, like 650,000 others enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, is waiting for the justices to release their decision on President Donald Trump’s attempt to end the protections. The high court heard arguments last fall and typically releases rulings on Mondays in the spring. But it’s unclear exactly when an answer will come because the court sometimes issues decisions on other days as work wraps up for the summer." House GOP Immigration Letter Backs OPT for International Students Forbes | Stuart Anderson | June 3 “In a surprise twist to the political drama over potential new immigration restrictions, 21 House Republicans sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf urging support for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for international students. Sources have confirmed some Trump officials hope to use the recent economic downturn due to Covid-19 to impose new restrictions on H-1B visa holders, international students and others. Deliberations on specifics continue inside the administration, which has prompted members of Congress and others to weigh in.” Inside Trump’s Immigration Order to Restrict Chinese Students Forbes | Stuart Anderson | June 1 “On May 29, 2020, Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation aimed at restricting the entry of graduate students and researchers from China. It is the latest immigration action to make it more difficult for foreign-born individuals to live, work or study in the United States. In the 2018-19 academic year, there were 272,470 undergraduate and graduate students from China enrolled at U.S. universities, 84,480 of whom were in a graduate-level science and engineering program, according to the Department of Homeland Security. China is the number one source of international students to the United States.” May 22 - 28 Lawsuit Says Trump Admin’s COVID-19 Immigrtion Order Separates Families with Older Kids NBC News | Julia Ainsley | May 29 “A class-action lawsuit filed in federal court on Thursday alleges the Trump administration's ban on legal immigration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic unfairly separates parents from children who are on the cusp of turning 21 years old...President Donald Trump's April 22 proclamation significantly curtailed legal immigration into the U.S., including limiting entry for immigrants' children who are 21 and older. Advocates say they do not know how many people that specific provision may affect, but the Migration Policy Institute estimates that the proclamation as a whole will affect more than 50,000 over 60 days.” High-Skill Immigration Restrictions Expected Soon from Trump Forbes | Stuart Anderson | May 28 “Showing no sense of irony, the Trump administration is celebrating the expected launch of a SpaceX rocketship at the same time Trump officials plan to restrict H-1B visas, the same type of visa the founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, used to begin working in the United States. The new regulatory actions against employers will come days after the White House issued an executive order on “regulatory relief” for businesses. An H-1B visa is typically the only practical way for a foreign national to work long-term in the United States. However, several sources have confirmed the Trump administration will soon implement new restrictions on H-1B visa holders and international students, intracompany transferees and likely even the spouses of high-skilled professionals.” Federal Immigrtion Agency to Furlough Employees Unless Congress Provides Funding CNN | Geneva Sands and Phil Mattingly | May 26 “US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency responsible for visa and asylum processing, is expected to furlough part of its workforce this summer if Congress doesn't provide emergency funding to sustain operations during the coronavirus pandemic. "Unfortunately, as of now, without congressional intervention, the agency will need to administratively furlough a portion of our employees on approximately July 20," USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow wrote in a letter sent to the workforce on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the agency -- which has 19,000 government employees and contractors working at more than 200 offices -- requested $1.2 billion from Congress due to its budget shortfall. Since then, the agency, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, has been working with members of Congress and their staffs to educate Capitol Hill on the agency's finances and operations.” May 15 - 21 America’s Immigration Paradox New York Times | David Nasaw | May 19 “For historians of immigration, the paradox is inescapable and irreconcilable: The United States is and has always been both a nation of immigrants and a nation that periodically wages war against them...Immigration historians are like the blind men in the ancient Indian parable who come upon an elephant. The first man, falling against the animal’s side, proclaims that he has found a wall; the second, feeling the tusk, a spear; the third, grabbling the trunk, a snake.” Immigration Study Finds H1-B Visas Help U.S. College Grads Forbes | Stuart Anderson | May 19 ““H-1B visa holders do not adversely affect U.S. workers,” according to a new study by economist Madeline Zavodny for the National Foundation for American Policy. “On the contrary, the evidence points to the presence of H-1B visa holders being associated with lower unemployment rates and faster earnings growth among college graduates, including recent college graduates. Further, the results suggest that, if anything, being in a field with more H-1B visa holders makes it more likely that U.S.-born young college graduates work in a job closely related to their college major.”” Immigrants Without Legal Status Can Begin Applying for State Coronavirus Relief Los Angeles Times | Matthew Ormseth | May 18 “Californians living in the U.S. illegally may begin applying for disaster assistance payments of $500 per person and up to $1,000 per household. The state government has made available $75 million to help a projected 150,000 immigrants without legal status weather the coronavirus crisis. To qualify, applicants must show that they are ineligible for federal assistance programs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the CARES Act or federal unemployment benefits, and that they have endured a hardship from the pandemic. Only adults may apply. A state guide to common questions and answers about the program is posted online.” |
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December 2020
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