Migration Updates

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• Social Media Must be Public for Certain Visas
• Pause on Student Visas Ends
• Immigration Enforcement Focus Shifted Away from Farms and Hospitality

• A protest was held against House Bill 1 and its Senate companion bill SB 88 in Columbus.
• The bill, currently in the public safety committee would prohibit the ownership of property by governments, companies, or people from several countries deemed foreign adversaries in much of the state.
• The bill has attracted controversy as it would apply to property within 25 miles of critical infrastructure, a category that would include much of the state, including many areas in the Cleveland metro area.
• https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2025/06/24/protestors-statehouse-hb1-and-sb88

• The budget cut and border security bill that has been debated in Congress would have several impacts on immigration, including:
  • An increased budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  • $46.5 billion for border barriers
  • Increased spending on immigrant detention facilities
  • An expansion of the immigration court system, which has for years been overburdened with cases
  • An end to fee-free asylum applications, which will now cost $1,000
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/4-ways-trumps-big-bill-could-change-the-u-s-immigration-system 

• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services have made several changes to the process for getting marriage based green cards.
• Three forms have been revised, the I-485 (adjustment of status), Form I-29F (a visa for a fiancé) and a more minor change to the I-130 (petition for alien relative)
• They also changed rules around medical form submission and payments must now be separately.
• COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/uscis-quietly-tightens-marriage-green-card-procedures/

• President Trump called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expand their efforts on deportation in major cities with Democratic Party run city governments.
• Trump specifically cited Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City in the announcement.
• This comes in the wake of widespread protests, some of which turned violent, in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids
• https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/16/politics/trump-immigration-democratic-deportation-efforts

• The US government announced changes to F, M, and J visas that will require applicants to adjust the privacy settings of all their social media to public
• Applicants are also required to list all social media handles used in the past five years on the DS-160 form.
• The change comes as the application for these visas have resumed after a pause. The state department has begun vetting social media of visa applicants earlier this year.
• https://ml.usembassy.gov/u-s-requires-public-social-media-settings-for-f-m-and-j-visa-applicants/

• The US State Department ended a month long pause on the applications for student visas, after unveiling new regulations on social media vetting for perspective applicants.
• Applicants social media settings must be public under the new regulations
• The applications were halted in May, in an executive order that was rescinded by the new policy
• https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7

• CNN reported that the Trump administration planned on action to revoke protections from people who entered the United States unlawfully and later applied for asylum
• Asylum seekers who entered the country legally would not be affected by the change
• It is believed that around 250,000 people would be affected by the policy, which the USCIS has not formally announced.
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/25/politics/migrants-asylum-claims-deportations?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc

• In June, Trump administration officials pivoted away from immigration enforcement on the agricultural, hotel, and restaurant sectors.
• President Trump publicly said that the crackdown was hurting American businesses in the agricultural and hospitality sector.
• The Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins reportedly discussed the affects of immigration raids on American farms, echoing concerns by some in rural areas that the immigration crackdown there was having unintended consequences.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/us/politics/trump-ice-raids-farms-hotels.html

• President Trump announced a new travel ban, restricting entry for nationals of twelve countries.
• The twelve countries with a ban on entry are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
• Several categories of people are exempt, including those with green cards, Afghan allies, and professional athletes traveling for the World Cup or Olympics, both of which are scheduled to be held in the US during the President’s term.
• Additional countries were subject to less stringent restrictions
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/restricting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-united-states-from-foreign-terrorists-and-other-national-security-and-public-safety-threats/

• A report indicated that the Trump administration may ban travel from up to 36 countries, following a ban on 12 countries announced earlier in June
• Concerns cited for the restrictions included non cooperation with deportations and high rates of visa overstays.
• The report stated that the countries could be subject to restrictions if changes were not made within 60 days
• The 36 countries were: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-weighs-adding-36-countries-travel-ban-memo-says-2025-06-15/

• Texas ended a practice of giving undocumented students in state tuition, siding with the Department of Justice who argued a law allowing it – the Texas Dream Act – was unconstitutional.
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton supported ending the practice, but this effort has been met with opposition and a lawsuit by students affected
• A legislative effort to repeal the Texas Dream Act failed to pass earlier this year.
• https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-undocumented-students-tuition-explainer/

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• Ohio Bill Restricting Foreign Owners of Property Sees Opposition in Hearings
• International Student Interviews Paused, New Social Media Searches Proposed
• Harvard Enrollment Executive Order Blocked in Court

• Congress has introduced the Venezuela TPS Act of 2025, which would designate Venezuelans in the US for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.
• Citing the increased authoritarianism of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the deteriorating situation in the South American country, the group seeks to prevent the loss of status of Venezuelans who have fled their country.
• TPS for Venezuela has been the subject of major debate, and multiple executive orders, over the past six months.
• The group behind the bill includes Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican, and Democrats Darren Soto and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. All represent Florida, a state with a large Venezuelan International Newcomer population.
• https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-salazar-soto-and-wasserman-schultz-introduce-legislation-designate-tps

• Oklahoma became the latest state to enact international medical graduate related reform; with the state’s Governor Kevin Stitt signing House Bill 2050.
• HB2050 is similar to legislation passed in states from Washington State to Florida over the past few years, offering an alternative pathway for experienced international physicians to be licensed in the state.
• The bill had bipartisan support and near unanimous votes in favor in both houses of the legislator.
• https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1788776

• A proposed bill that would ban nationals of certain countries from owning property near critical infrastructure or military installations was heard by a committee, and faced criticism from many testifying.
• The bill is intended to address concerns of overseas buyers from foreign adversaries – including China, Russia, and Iran, among others – from purchasing land near sensitive areas like military facilities or important civilian infrastructure.
• The bill though would be expansive, and include residential property, and its broad definition of near critical infrastructure covers huge portions of Ohio. A previous bill, similar to House Bill 88, was vetoed by Governor DeWine.
• Proponents view the bill as a vital national security measure, while critics say it is discriminatory and harms people with no connection to foreign governments and who pose no threat. Other states have passed similar legislation, but often have put further limits to exempt some from the restrictions, such as green card holders and duel citizens.
• https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/05/28/hundreds-push-back-against-bill-prohibiting-foreign-nationals-from-buying-property-in-ohio/

• The US State Department halted all interviews with students for F1 visas. The state department did not give a timetable as to when the pause might be lifted
• It is believed that when the interviews resume they will include more vigorous social media screening
• State Department officials have said they may screen specifically for antisemitic content or content expressing support for designated terror groups.
• https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/27/trump-team-orders-stop-to-new-student-visa-interviews-as-it-weighs-expanding-social-media-vetting-00370501

• The first group of Afrikaner Displaced Personss arrived in the United States by chartered plane this May. The group is the first major group of Displaced Personss approved for resettlement since the program was halted when the Trump administration took office earlier this year.
• Afrikaners are an ethnic group found in Southern Africa, largely of Dutch origin, who the Trump administration has said have been the victim of violence and land seizures, allegations the South African government has denied.
• It is believed additional Afrikaners will arrive in the US is in the coming months; the first group have been resettled in Minnesota, Nevada, and Idaho.
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/nx-s1-5395067/first-group-afrikaner-Displaced Personss-arrive

• Citing national security concerns, the US State Department announced it will “aggressively” move to revoke visas for Chinese students.
• The move is expected to target the visas’ of students who are studying in critical fields that may be the target of espionage from China, as well as those with connections to the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
• About 280,000 Chinese students are studying in the United States; it is not clear how many of them would be affected by this policy.
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/28/g-s1-69495/rubio-says-u-s-will-aggressively-revoke-visas-for-many-chinese-students

• In the latest in a series of actions between Harvard and the Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem informed Harvard Unvinersity administrators that they would no longer be allowed to enroll international students.
• Noem criticized the campus for its coordination with China and its ruling party as well as for allowing for antisemitism on the campus. Harvard has been criticized by many, including those in the current administration, for its attitude towards campus protests critical of Israel since the outbreak of war in the Middle East in 2023.
• Harvard criticized the action and vowed to fight it in court, saying it was unlawful (it was suspended by a federal judge, see below)
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/22/nx-s1-5407878/trump-harvard-international-students

• A judge ruled in favor or Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist employed at Harvard University, who’s detention has become a high-profile Migration case.
• Petrova has been accused of illegally bringing scientific samples into the US.
• The judge in the case said that there was no legal basis for the revoking of her visa, and that the biological samples were not harmful or dangerous.
• Petrova, a critic of the Russian government, has said her life would be in grave danger if deported to Russia.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/science/russian-scientist-harvard-charges.html

• The US Supreme Court allowed a Trump Administration executive order ending the CMNH program to stand, following a similar ruling a few weeks ago involving Venezuelan migrants.
• The ruling is not final and is subject to other cases working through the court system.
• The program was started in 2022 by then-President Biden, and after a presidential executive order, Homeland Security Secretary Noem revoked the parole status of around 530,000 people.
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/30/scotus-parole-Migration-trump/

• Tufts University student Rümseya Öztürk was released from a federal detention center after six weeks of detention. Federal Judge William Sessions ordered her release.
• Ozturk, a native of Turkey, wrote an op-ed in the student newspaper that was highly critical of Israel and called for the university to divest from the country. She has not been charged with any crime related to her activities or op ed, and her attorneys challenged her detention on first amendment grounds.
• This case is one of several high profile revocations of visas for international students, often ones who have made controversial remarks on Israel and the Gaza War.
• https://splc.org/2025/05/court-orders-release-of-tufts-op-ed-writer-in-win-for-free-speech/

• A federal judge instituted a temprorary block on an Executive Order banning Harvard from enrolling international students.
• Citing first amendment grounds, Federal Judge Allison Burroughs issued a restraining order blocking the implementation of the ban, which had followed a lengthy series of disputes between the university and the Trump administration.
• Harvard has around 7,000 international students, which comprise over a quarter of the university’s student body.
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/23/nx-s1-5408987/harvard-international-students-lawsuit-trump

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• More States Move Forward on IMG Bills

• DHS to Screen for Antisemitic Activity Online

• Supreme Court Blocks Deportations under Alien Enemies Act

• Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian man and Maryland resident who was deported to a prison in El Salvador due to an “administrative error”
• Held in a high-security prison known as CECOT, Abrego Garcia was moved to a different detention center in El Salvador where he will have his own room.
• Van Hollen has been outspoken in support of Abrego’s case, which has been the subject of a protracted legal battle in the US
• https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-transferred-el-salvador-maryland-van-hollen/

• A controversial bill in Tennessee that would criminalize the act of being in the state without legal status passed a subcommittee.
• The bill would require judges to issue a 72-hour warning to violators to leave the state
• However, the bill would not go into effect even if passed; because of the prior supreme court present against states enforcing federal Migration law, the law would not be in effect unless the supreme court overturns the 2012 decision in Arizona v. US, a constitutional amendment is passed, or other states enact similar laws that are upheld in court
• https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/03/26/bill-giving-International Newcomers-without-legal-status-72-hours-to-leave-tennessee-advances-in-house/

• Vermont and Arkansas are two of the latest states to move forward on alternative pathway legislation for International Medical Graduates.
• A majority of states in the US now either passed or introduced legislation on the subject, which has been a major trend across the US in the last two years.
• States considering the legislation in the current session include Minnesota, Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Wyoming, Arizona, Georgia, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Vermont.

• Rep Paul Gosar has introduced legislation, the Fairness for High Skilled Americans Act, which would abolish the OPT program.
• Gosar said the OPT program “undercuts American workers” and also criticized the program for allowing employers to avoid having to pay FICA and Medicare taxes
• The bill has eight co-sponsors, all of whom are republicans
• https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8784

• As of April 24^th, over 60 international students across 14 Ohio colleges and universities have seen their visas revoked by the Trump administration
• Several of these revocations are being challenged in court, some of these involve students with relatively minor charges on their records, or students who were charged with a crime, but later had those charges dropped.
• The universities with the largest number of revoked visas are Youngstown State University, the Ohio State University, and Kent State University.
• https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/04/ohio-visa-revocations-reach-61-international-students-across-14-colleges.html

• The Department of Homeland Security will begin to monitor prospective International Newcomers and international visitors social media for antisemitic statements, the agency announced in early April.
• The screening will also include support for antisemitic terrorist organizations; the announcement specified Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the group commonly known as the Houthis, and Hezbollah.
• Under this new guidance, social media content that is deemed to be antisemitic will be considered a negative factor in analysis of their application
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-to-begin-screening-aliens-social-media-activity-for-antisemitism

• US Citizenship and Naturalization Services updated both the I-9 form and E-Verify.
• I-9s and the online E-Verify website are used by employers to verify a new employee’s work authorization in the US
• The changes are relatively minor, but a significant aspect of the change includes updated wording for the List B documents, establishing a person’s identity
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/form-i-9-e-verify-updates/

• The “Gold Card” visa, a proposed visa for high net worth individuals, is moving forward after an announcement earlier this year.
• The program would allow for foreign individuals to obtain residence in the United States after paying a $5 million fee to the government. The program would replace the existing EB-5 investor visa
• While at the moment, the program is being created by an executive order, there is speculation it may not be upheld in court, and could require congressional legislation.
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/10/gold-card-trump-lutnick-millionaires/83033022007/

• The Supreme Court issued a temporary ruling that halted the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants from Venezuela accused of being members of organized crime organizations
• The law was passed in 1798 but has only been used rarely, most recently during the Second World War
• The decision was issued after the ACLU asked for its intervention, seeking to block the deportation of several Venezuelan migrants.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-temporarily-blocks-deportations-venezuelan-migrants-under-2025-04-19/

• A federal court of appeals ruled against the federal government in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, declining an administration request to halt an order from a lower court judge.
• Judge Harvie Wilkinson ruled that the government’s claim to be able to deport without due process lacked assurances that the executive branch would not do so to American citizens
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/17/politics/4th-circuit-wilkinson-abrego-garcia-xinis/index.html

• Judge Algenon Marbley granted an order in favor of Prasanna Oruganti, an Indian student studying agricultural engineering, reinstating her F-1 visa.
• The government argued that Oruganti’s status was terminated because of a criminal history; Oruganti argued that this referred to a minor driving related charge, which came with a $300 fine, her attorneys argued this was an insufficient reason for loss of status.
• The student’s case is one of several that are in court in Ohio, which has seen numerous revocations of student visas in recent months
• https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2025/04/22/trump-Migration-ohio-state-student-visa-laws-federal-judge/83217297007/?tbref=hp

• An Migration judge ruled in favor of the Trump administration in a high-profile case involving a Columbia University Grad Student.
• The student, Mahmoud Khalil, had been a legal permanent resident, until his visa was revoked earlier this year. Khalil has been a prominent critic of the Israeli government and has played a major role in protests at Columbia that critics argue have been antisemitic.
• It is expected that the case will continue to be litigated, with separate court cases playing out in both Louisiana and New Jersey
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/13/us/mahmoud-khalil-deportation-ruling-appeals/index.html

Want to keep up with Migration news in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our Migration update so that you can stay informed about the latest Migration news.

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• White House Considers ‘Gold Card’ Visa as EB5 Replacement

• Indiana Introduces IMG Bill

• Federal Judge Halts Alien Enemies Act Deportations

• President Donald Trump floated a new investment visa, dubbed the “Gold Card” that would be designed to attract high-net worth individuals who may invest in the country.
• The new visas, which would offer a path to citizenship, would cost $5 million.
• It is believed that the EB-5 visa would be replaced by the new gold card. The EB-5 has additional requirements, including that the holder must create or preserve at least ten full time jobs in the country; it is not clear that this will be required in the new visa
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-gold-card-eb5-visa-5-million-Migration-oligarch-cbs-news-explains/

• The Department of Commerce is considering making postal workers conduct some of the 2030 census in an effort to save money
• The census typically involves the hiring of about a half a million temporary workers, a considerable expense in the government budget
• The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department, while the postal service is not; however, it has been reported that the USPS may be moved from being an independent agency to being the responsibility of the Commerce Department.
• https://www.newsweek.com/usps-workers-could-take-over-census-2036961#:~:text=What%20To%20Know,the%20dedicated%20U.S.%20Census%20Bureau.

• The US Citizenship and Migration Services announced a proposed change that will have it collect information of social media activity of International Newcomers
• The proposal will be open to public comment for 60 days
• It follows an executive order from January that directed agencies to identify resources that can help the government ensure that International Newcomers are “vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
• https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/uscis-plans-to-collect-International Newcomers-social-media-information

• The Department of Homeland Security announced that the temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian nationals would end in August of 2025, six months earlier than previously announced
• The change, announced on February 20th by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, would leave many Haitian born International Newcomers without status, unless they can transfer to another visa
• TPS for Haiti was originally dedicated in the aftermath of the 2011 Earthquake that devastated the country, and was maintained since as the country has been embroiled in a political and humanitarian crisis.
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/update-on-tps-for-haiti#:~:text=The%20announcement%20amends%20the%20period,3%2C%202025

• Indiana is the latest in a growing group of states who have proposed alternative pathways bills for internationally educated doctors
• Republican State Rep Beau Baird introduced the proposal, who said that it would help address the state’s doctor shortage.
• The bill would have an especially profound impact on rural Indiana communities, Baird told reporters
• Like many other states, the bill would allow for an experienced physician to bypass residency if he or she had sufficient training and experience. The bill, which was supported by the Indiana State Medical Association, requires 5 years of post practice experience.
• https://www.953mnc.com/2025/02/18/indiana-bill-aims-to-combat-shortage-of-medical-professionals/

• Representatives Mike Lawler and Yvette Clarke, both of New York, introduced the Doctors in Our Borders Act, which would expand the Conrad 30 program in an effort to combat an ongoing healthcare workforce shortage
• The waivers allowed under the Conrad 30 program would more than triple if the bill was passed
• The bill has a sizable bipartisan group supporting it, and is also backed by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)
• https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3738

• The White House issued an executive order to expediate deportations of suspected members of the Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based crime syndicate, under the Alien Enemies Act
• Suspected members of the gang were removed from the country and sent to El Salvador and Honduras, but the implementation of the order was blocked by a federal judge
• Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order blocking the implementation for 14 days, after a lawsuit which argued that the law could only be invoked in wartime, and not against nationals of a country (Venezuela) that we are not at war with.
• Several planes did leave the US before the order, and some have accused the government of deporting those not affiliated with Tren de Aragua
• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/15/trump-alien-enemies-act-deportations

• A late February decision allowed a lower court ruling to stand that blocked a Trump administration policy that would no longer recognize birthright citizenship to the children of people in the country without legal status, as well as those here with a certain non-International Newcomer visas
• The 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the order violated the 14^th amendment of the Constitution.
• The three judge panel included two Republican appointees, one of which, who issued a concurrence, was appointed by President Trump in his first term, though the ruling itself was written by Judge William Canby, an appointee of Jimmy Carter.
• https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-appeals-court-rejects-trumps-bid-curtail-birthright-citizenship-2025-02-20/

• Mahmoud Khalil, a student at Columbia University in New York, was arrested by Migration and Customs Enforcement. Agents said they were revoking Khalil’s Green Card.
• Khalil was a leader of protests against Israel on Columbia’s Campus, and the arrest was on the grounds that Khalil’s activities had been antisemitic and supportive of a listed terrorist organization
• The case has received national attention, and defenders of Khalil have argued the revocation of his green card was unlawful
• https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8

• In a bill on the state’s transportation budget, a provision has been added to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote at a state Bureau of Motor Vehicles Office
• The bill, House Bill 54, also requires more data sharing between the BMV and the office of the Secretary of State regaring voter information
• HB54 mostly focuses on transportation, with provisions exploring new passenger rail services being a well-publicized section
• https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2025-02-23/voter-registration-and-passenger-rail-provisions-added-to-ohio-transportation-budget\

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• We break down the Trump Administration’s executive orders impacting Migration
• Displaced Persons Program Suspension Challenged in Court
• Proposed House Bill 42 would require the collection and reporting of data related to Migration status, citizenship status in crimes

• This order overturned five Executive Orders from the Biden Administration, including those that:

  • Focused enforcement priorities on national security and public safety threats.
  • Established a process for the orderly handling of asylum seekers.
  • Aimed to reunite families separated during Trump’s first term.
  • Enhanced support for workforce and language access for individuals involved in the Migration process.
  • Worked to rebuild the US Displaced Persons Admissions Program.

There are two main themes in this order: one focuses on border wall construction and increased enforcement, while the other aims to complicate the asylum process and end parole programs.

• Section 3: Calls for the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to build barriers to achieve “complete operational control” of the southern border.
• Section 4: Directs DOD, Department of Justice (DOJ), and DHS to deploy personnel to further ensure complete operational control. This will likely lead to increased militarization of the border and prioritization of funding for the border wall.
• Section 7(a): Focuses on ending the CBP One App, which allowed parolees, asylum seekers, and others to easily request entry to the US and inform Migration officials of their intended time and port of entry. This app helped manage appointments and streamline the Migration process.
• Section 7(b): Terminates “categorical parole” programs, which provided temporary legal status and work authorization for individuals from specific countries without offering a path to citizenship. Examples of impacted programs include the 2022 Humanitarian Parole for Venezuelans, the 2022 Uniting for Ukraine program, the 2021 Afghan Placement and Assistance program, and the 2014 Central American Minors program.

It is unclear how these changes will affect parolees already in the United States, particularly those from Afghanistan and Ukraine, who number in the thousands.

• This Executive Order introduces stricter screening requirements and mandates that:
  • The Department of State (DOS), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Director of National Intelligence report jointly within 60 days on any countries where vetting and screening information is so inadequate that it may justify suspending the admission of nationals from those countries (Section 2(i)).
•   The report also requests information on:
  • How many nationals from those countries have been admitted to the United States since January 21, 2021 (Section 2(ii)).
•  Migration advocates anticipate that this could lead to the imposition of travel bans.
• Early analysis suggests that individuals from countries failing to meet the screening standards may be deemed inadmissible, meaning they should not have been allowed entry in the first place and could potentially be subject to removal.

• The Executive Order directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other agencies to take broad action to enforce Migration laws against all “inadmissible and removable” noncitizens.

• It largely empowers DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to increase Migration enforcement, including:

  • Deputizing cooperating state and local law enforcement to assist with enforcement.
  • Prosecuting cities that refuse to cooperate with federal Migration enforcement.
  • Expanding the use of Expedited Removal, a process for quick deportation.

• Key provisions to increase enforcement include:

  • Section 4: Establishes the primary mission of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division as enforcing the Migration and Nationality Act (INA) and federal laws related to illegal entry and unlawful presence of noncitizens.
  • Section 11: Authorizes state and local law enforcement, under a voluntary agreement with DHS, to perform Migration officer duties, such as investigating, apprehending, and detaining noncitizens, to the full extent allowed by law.
  • Section 21: Directs DHS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), USCIS, and other agencies to significantly increase hiring of Migration officers.

• Other measures include the authorization of legal actions against sanctuary cities:

  • Section 17: Instructs DHS and DOJ to pursue criminal and civil action against sanctuary cities, which would result in those cities losing access to federal funds.
  • Section 9: Expands DHS’s authority to use Expedited Removal, which allows for the swift deportation of certain noncitizens. Key concerns include the risk of erroneous deportation, insufficient protection for asylum seekers, and lack of judicial review.

• Reports indicate ICE arrest quotas have increased by as much as three or four times in response to Federal pressure.

• The DOJ has formed a group to prosecute cities that refuse to cooperate with Migration authorities or federal Migration policies.

• The House Oversight Committee has started an investigation into sanctuary cities and has requested that the mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York City testify.

• A 2011 ICE memo defined schools, hospitals, places of worship, sites of funeral, wedding, or religious ceremony, or public demonstration as places where Migration enforcement officials may not conduct arrests, interviews, searches, or surveillance absent clear danger.
• A new DHS directive rescinds those protections, and was followed by a Federal lawsuit in Maryland on behalf of several Quaker organizations who claim DHS would be in violation of their First Amendment rights.

• A new agency directive includes three policy memoranda related to the processing of asylum claims:
  • One memo instructs Migration Judges to decide asylum claims within 180 days of the application, significantly speeding up the decision-making process.
  • The memo also clarifies that “good cause” alone does not justify postponing asylum proceedings beyond 180 days. This means that cases that would typically qualify for an extension may be canceled at the 180-day mark, potentially denying qualified asylum seekers protection.
• Another focus of the memo is on employment authorization:
  • Asylum seekers are currently eligible for employment authorization (EADs) 180 days after applying for asylum.
  • The intent of this policy is to deny legal work authorization to anyone submitting an asylum application, limiting their ability to work legally in the U.S. during this period.

• Venezuela was initially designated for Temporary Protected Status in 2021, and was redesignated by the Biden Administration in 2023 and January 2025. Current Secretary of DHS vacated the January decision, which means Venezuelan TPS is set to expire on April 2nd, with a report on February 1st formally terminating the program.
• Benefits under this program including legal presence and work authorization are set to expire April 7th, 2025.
• Venezuela has been undergoing a period of severe economic and political crisis that has grown more severe in the last year after the Venezuelan government announced the reelection of Nicolás Maduro, despite election results that many observers reported actually indicated a victory for Maduro’s opponent.

• Military forces along the border are set to drastically increase and are being tasked with supporting detection and monitoring efforts and continuing border wall construction.

• Through The Executive Office of Migration, certain legal service providers including Migration Court Helpdesk, Family Group Legal Orientation Program, and Counsel for Children receive federal funds in their efforts to serve vulnerable populations moving through the Migration system.
• On January 24th, a stop-work order was issued to organizations who have agreements with the State Department and Bureau of Populations, Displaced Personss, and Migrants.
• Order urges “The Recipient (of State Department and PRM funds) must cancel as many outstanding obligations as possible.” These obligations include initial resettlement support, fast-track financial assistance and employment programming, intensive case management for those with chronic illness or other acute barriers to self-sufficiency, support for survivors of torture, and entrepreneurship programming, among many other program areas.
• Displaced Persons resettlement funding falls under PRM programs, and the impact this order and funding freeze has fundamentally upended the provision of support to individuals on a legal pathway already within the United States.

• The Laken Riley Act was passed with significant bipartisan support and signed into law by President Trump in early 2025. The law mandates that Migration authorities detain undocumented individuals charged with robbery, larceny, theft, or shoplifting, and requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue a detainer in these cases.

• The bill is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year. Her suspected killer was an undocumented International Newcomer from Venezuela who had previously been arrested but released on theft-related charges.

• The law also includes a provision that allows states to sue the federal government to force the use of expedited removal and enables state-led lawsuits challenging federal parole authority.

• https://phillipslytle.com/congress-passes-laken-riley-act-wwith-controversial-Migration-provisions/

• Introduced in the house, Bill 42 would require the collection and reporting of data related to Migration status, citizenship status in crimes
• It would require law enforcement to report to the state the number of people detained/put into custody by them who are:
  • US Citizens
  • Noncitizens with legal status in the United States
  • Noncitizens without legal status
• The bill has thirteen co-sponsors, all of whom are Republicans
• https://legiscan.com/OH/bill/HB42/2025

• The bill would mandate local authorities
• • participate in any DHS program enabling them to report Migration status of arrestees
  • report the identity of any arrestee they believe to be unlawfully present to the relevant federal Migration authorities
  • detain someone unlawfully present upon receiving a legal federal request or order to do so
• It also prohibits any “county, township, or municipal corporation or the law enforcement agency that serves the county, township, or municipal corporation” with enacting a range of policies that restrict its citizens or employees from doing the above, or from maintaining information about someone’s Migration status
• Municipalities found to be noncompliant will have reduced funding from the state
• Members of the general assembly have the power to bring charges of noncompliance, though the determination is made by the office of the attorney general.
• This is the old House Bill 666, introduced in the previous session

• Three federal judges blocked a Trump executive order limiting birthright citizenship on constitutional grounds
• The 14^th amendment states that all born in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction of the US, are US citizens from birth. Generally this has been taken to mean anybody in US territory, with some narrow exceptions, notably for foreign diplomats and their families, who are not subject to US law.
• Trump’s order would’ve made children of undocumented International Newcomers as well as legal International Newcomers who are here on a non-Migration visa ineligible.
• The issue is expected to end up at the Supreme Court
• https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5135920-judge-blocks-trump-birthright-order/

• A coalition of Displaced Persons groups are suing in federal court to see the suspension of Displaced Persons admissions overturned.
• The executive order “Realigning the United States Displaced Persons Resettlement Program” (discussed in detail above) suspended the program.
• The groups say that the orders violate federal law, particularly the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Migration and Nationality Act, as well as the Constitution’s due process clause. They also say that the order usurps Congress’ legislative power
• Groups backing the lawsuit included HIAS, Church World Service, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest, as well as individual Displaced Personss.
• https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/02/rights-groups-challenge-trumps-executive-order-suspending-Displaced Persons-admissions-in-court/

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• TPS Extended for Four Countries
• Proposed Changes to Citizenship Test Canceled
• Courts Deciding Record Numbers of Migration Cases

• In his last weeks in office, President Biden extended temporary protected status for Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan.
• President-elect Trump discussed ending the program altogether, making the extension, which lasts for 18 months, especially significant.
• Those eligible re-enroll include 600,000 Venezuelans, 232,000 Salvadorians, 103,700 Ukrainians, and 1,900 Sudanese.
• https://www.axios.com/2025/01/10/Migration-temporary-protected-status-extensions-biden

• A program announced last year that enables visas to be processed abroad for Afghan Displaced Personss began operations in early January 2025
• The Philippines agreed to host the program, with the US agreeing to pay for the costs to Displaced Personss.
• The AP reported the program would be limited, only serving about 150-300 applicants.
• https://apnews.com/article/philippines-afghans-us-International Newcomer-visa-2fbbc522321e3ab71b33d2cbcf58e9ac

• $55 million in fees for the Keeping Families Together initiative will be refunded.
• The initiative, which provided for a path to permanent residency for undocumented spouses of US citizens, was announced last year, but was suspended when a federal judge ruled that “the policy exceeded executive authority.”
• USCIS announced the refunds and said that they would be processed automatically.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/u-s-refund-55-million-fees-blocked-parole-in-place-expansion/\

• Federal Migration authorities canceled planned changes to the US citizenship test after the proposal received negative feedback
• Public comments on the redesign criticized it for being an ineffective way to evaluate English language skills and was overly difficult for adult learners.
• The naturalization test format in use since 2008 will continue to be used in the future, Boundless Migration reported.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/uscis-scraps-trial-new-naturalization-test/

• Tom Homan, tipped as the “border tsar” by President-Elect Trump, said that the use of family detention centers remained on the table.
• The practice, which was used to great controversy during Trump’s first administration, was ended by the Biden administration.
• Homan said it may be necessary to use family detention centers, as it was, in his view, essential to end the ‘catch and release’ policy.
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/Migration/trump-border-czar-tom-homan-family-detention-centers-deportation-rcna185508

• The US Senate voted to advance the Laken Riley Act with large bipartisan support, 84-9, though some have suggested it may need to be amended before it will have the support for final passage.
• The bill would require Migration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of those in the country without authorization who had been charged with theft and other similar crimes.
• The bill was introduced after its namesake, a Georgia nursing student, was murdered, with the suspect in her murder being a Venezuelan man in the country without authorization who had previously been arrested on theft charges.
• While mostly supported by Republicans, many Democratic Senators have also supported the bill.
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-laken-riley-act-vote-illegal-Migration-rcna186775

• Massachusetts joins Washington State, Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, Virginia and more as state lawmakers passed a bill to open pathways for foreign-trained physicians in the state
• The Physician Pathway Act was passed as part of a broader economic development bill that was signed by Governor Maura Healy.
• The law will, like the Virginia bill, require physicians to practice in an underserved area for a period of time.
• https://commonwealthbeacon.org/health/new-law-grants-pathway-for-foreign-trained-doctors-to-fill-massachusetts-physician-shortage/

• The rules package passed in the new session of the House of Representatives, including several proposals for new Migration legislation
• The measures include:
  • An amendment to the Migration and Nationality Act
  • The Laken Riley Act
  • Making assaulting a law enforcement officer a deportable offense
  • Imposing criminal penalties for fleeing a pursuing federal officer in a car
  • Restrictions on federal funding for sanctuary cities
• https://rollcall.com/2025/01/02/house-republicans-look-to-tee-up-Migration-bills/

• Tennessee Senator Todd Gardenhire proposed an amendment that would change an earlier law that would exempt School Resource Officers from a requirement that they report a person’s Migration status.
• Senator Gardenhire stated the previous law was poorly written, and that it was wrong to punish children in school.
• The Senator also said if the law wasn’t passed, it would return to the agenda in the Spring.
• https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/republican-sponsored-bill-would-exempt-tn-sros-from-Migration-status-reporting-requirement/

• The Supreme Court found that appeals to revoked visas cannot be heard in federal court because the USCIS is a discretionary agency.
• The Court’s majority opinion, which was unanimous, was written by Justice Kentaji Brown Jackson.
• The court found that USCIS’ decisions to revoke a visa were not mandatory (which would have meant that officials were required to follow specific rules) but discretionary, which they said makes them ineligible for judicial review in federal court
• https://bizlegalservices.com/2024/12/12/supreme-court-confirms-no-judicial-review-for-revoked-visas/

• Amid attempts to reduce a backlog of Migration cases from the outgoing Biden administration, the Migration court system is deciding the most cases it has in years.
• President Biden has implemented a “fast track” system to reduce the backlog which has been estimated at exceeding 3 million cases.
• Syracuse University found that if this pace continues “Migration judges will rule on more deportation cases in 2025 than in any previous year.”
• https://www.axios.com/2024/12/31/biden-Migration-courts-deportations

Want to keep up with Migration news in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our Migration update so that you can stay informed about the latest Migration news.

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• President-Elect Donald Trump’s Migration plans
• Lebanon has faced a deteriorating situation as war has broken out over the past year between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel. The Department of Homeland Security designated the country for Temporary Protective Status for 18 months.
• Three Migration-related bills are currently pending in the Ohio legislator

• President-Elect Donald Trump nominated Kristi Noem to be the Secretary of Homeland Security, which has responsibility over most Migration-related agencies
• Noem, currently Governor of South Dakota, was previously a US Congresswoman from the state’s at-large congressional district.
• Noem has occasionally been involved in Migration policy as Governor, in 2021, she sent her state’s National Guard to the border, funded by a Tennessee-based private donor, a practice subsequently banned in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
• https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/kristi-noem-homeland-security-secretary/index.html

• President-elect Trump may move to revoke Temporary Protective Status designations in an effort to curb Migration
• Trump and VP-elect Vance have particularly criticized the use of the program for Haitians and made the influx of Haitian International Newcomers in the Ohio city of Springfield an issue in their presidential campaigns.
• TPS Designation was offered to Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 Earthquake and has been maintained since then, as the country has been in political turmoil.
• The TPS designations for Venezuela and Ukraine, among others, have been cited as potential targets.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/us/trump-International Newcomers-temporary-protected-status.html

• Citing concerns over border security and drug trafficking, President-Elect Trump vowed to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico until measures were taken by the US’ two neighbors to address these concerns.
• With both countries being top trading partners of the US, analysts have said this could cause severe economic consequences for the US as well as Canada and Mexico.
• Both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum have had calls or meetings with Trump, and some have suggested this was a proposal intended to push both leaders to agree to measures on border security, and not intended to actually be implemented.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-promises-25-tariff-products-mexico-canada-2024-11-25/

• With the return to the White House of Donald Trump next January, the US is expected by some to re-implement the “Remain in Mexico” Policy which required asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while having their claims processed.
• Earlier in the campaign, Trump said he would immediately reinstate the policy
• However, Senator Ted Cruz has suggested to Newsweek that the policy would in fact not be implemented for some time, perhaps months, while negotiations with Mexican authorities were ongoing.
• https://www.newsweek.com/trump-said-remain-mexico-will-start-day-1-heres-why-it-wont-1991018

• The stated plan of President-Elect Trump to use military forces to deport unauthorized International Newcomers has received criticism from the President’s Own Party, with Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky emerging as a critic of the plan
• Citing the imagery of military units deporting migrants, Paul stated that he “I’ll not support and will not vote to use the military in our cities.”
• With a closely divided Senate, Republican opposition to certain Trump Migration policies could potentially block certain legislative proposals from the White House.
• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/25/rand-paul-trump-mass-deportation

• President-elect Trump has confirmed his intention to immediately declare a national emergency on the subject of illegal Migration, stating he would sign such a declaration on his first day in office.
• In the same statement, made on social media, Trump said he would use “military assets” to do the deportations.
• The use of military personnel and assets for deportations has proved controversial, including within Trump’s own Republican Party
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-confirms-plan-to-declare-national-emergency-use-military-for-mass-deportations/ar-AA1uirLn?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=d2ebc740540248188eb6b4e37fd4b5ef&ei=95

• In Trump’s first administration, attempts to increase high-skilled Migration were stymied by the opposition of Migration hardliners, especially Stephen Miller, who has called for large reductions in legal Migration
• However, the inclusion of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, himself an International Newcomer, in Trump’s circle, has led some in Silicon Valley and beyond to believe Musk and others may move the president in a different direction.
• Dan Stein of the Federation for American Migration Reform, which advocates for a more restrictive Migration policy, said that Trump was “definitely going to be more receptive to certain kinds of legal Migration expansion”
• Musk has at times publicly called for making the legal Migration process for highly skilled foreigners easier and faster.
• https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/01/elon-musk-steven-miller-battle-high-tech-Migration-00191922

• Tom Homan, considered a hardliner on the issue of illegal Migration, was named by President-Elect Trump to be the new ‘border Czar’ to advise the president on border security issues
• Homan was previously at Migration and Customs Enforcement in Trump’s first term.
• In an interview with News Nation Homan said that mass deportations were a necessity and took a critical view towards sanctuary cities. As a non-cabinet post, the ‘border Czar’ appointment does not require congressional approval.
• https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/Migration/border-czar-tom-homan-deportations/

• Only two months into the fiscal year, the cap for high-skilled visa applicants on H-1Bs has been hit.
• Around 85,000 additional visas were allotted, according to the US Citizenship and Naturalization Service
• An Migration attorney told reporters from Newsweek that the current system and caps were “not sustainable” and with 8 million jobs open in the US, restrictions were hurting the economy
• https://www.newsweek.com/h1b-visa-cap-reached-uscis-Migration-1994405

• Lebanon has faced a deteriorating situation as war has broken out over the past year between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel
• The Department of Homeland Security designated the country for Temporary Protective Status for 18 months.
• In addition, DHS will allow students here from Lebanon to “work more hours, take fewer classes, and apply for off-campus jobs to ease the financial strain.”
• To be eligible, F-1 students must:
  • Be citizens of Lebanon or stateless individuals who last resided in Lebanon
  • Have valid F-1 status as of November 27^th 2024
  • Be enrolled in an institution certified by the student and exchange visitor program
  • Prove they are facing severe economic hardship because of the ongoing crisis in Lebanon
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/dhs-announces-tps-for-lebanon-and-relief-for-lebanese-f-1-students/

• Senator Catherine Cortez Mastro called for the extension of temporary protected status for International Newcomers by the Biden administration, amid concerns the incoming administration will likely curb them
• “what the president can do is just take legal action to extend their TPS statuses … but it’s not just our TPS recipients. My hope is that the president, in the last two months, also quickly processes our DACA recipient applications,” the senator told reporters.
• TPS currently covers seventeen countries, many of which run out in 2025
• https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/senator-calls-on-biden-to-protect-legal-International Newcomers-before-trump-takes-office-226034245512

• California Rep. Judy Chu called on the administration to close a privately run Migration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in her state
• The Adelanto Detention Center has been the subject of complaints from non-profits, media, and government, including ICE officials, arguing it has failed to meet standards of care
• ICE had a self-imposed deadline last year to decide whether to close the facility, but no decision was made at that time.,
• https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/Migration/3249827/california-democrat-biden-administration-close-ice-detention-center/

• House Bill 671

  • Would criminalize the entry of an International Newcomer to Ohio if they lacked legal authorization to be in the US
  • The bill is modeled on a controversial Oklahoma Law, which is currently on hold amid legal challenges in federal court
  • The bill’s sponsor, Representative Gary Click, says that he doesn’t expect it to pass this year, but plans on reintroducing it next year.
  • Migration attorneys have raised concerns based what they called on constitutional issues as well as text that seems to be based on a misreading of federal Migration law.
  • https://woub.org/2024/10/17/republican-bill-penalize-International Newcomers-enter-ohio-without-federal-legal-status/

• House Bill 656

  • Introduced by Rep. Tom Patton, this bill would create restrictions and penalties for the hiring of unauthorized International Newcomers in the state
  • Under the bill, the company would face penalties for violations as well as verification and a probationary period to ensure compliance after an initial violation
  • Penalties would be worse for repeated violations of the law by the same company
  • https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/27/ohio-bill-would-punish-employers-of-people-living-in-the-u-s-illegally/74877359007/

• House Bill 666

  • Called the Protecting Ohio Communities Act, this bill would require local law enforcement to actively assist federal Migration authorities
  • Specifically, agencies would be required to report to ICE or other federal Migration authorities if they suspected someone was in the country without authorization
  • Entities that failed to do so would face serious losses of state funding, which could have significant consequences for the agencies’ budgets.

Want to keep up with Migration news in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our Migration update so that you can stay informed about the latest Migration news.

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• Governor DeWine Pens Op-Ed on Springfield Rhetoric
• Trump Says He’ll End Legal Status for International Newcomers Currently in the U.S. on Two Programs
• Rep Duarte Proposes Bill with Pathway for Dreamers, DACA Recipients

• Congress passed a funding measure that will keep the government open without attaching the SAVE Act, a voting-related bill.
• The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship to register as a voter. Voting in federal elections is already limited to US citizens, and critics of the bill said that it would make it harder for citizens to vote who may lack specific forms of documentation.
• The effort to pass the bill had support from House Republicans, but did not have enough support to pass the Senate.
• The funding bill means that the government is funded until after the November election, where voters will elect the president as well as Congress.
• https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/22/republican-house-speaker-johnson-trump-government-shutdown-funding-bill.html

• A major new study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reported that the US is in serious need of international talent
• The report recommended congress and the white house simplify the visa process for STEM graduates.
• The current process, the report concluded, is overly burdensome and are limiting our access to talent in ways that harms the US national interest
• https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27787/international-talent-programs-in-the-changing-global-environment

• State Rep. Josh Williams introduced the Protecting Ohio Communities Act, which would require that state and local authorities cooperate with the federal government in the enforcement of Migration laws.
• Under the bill, municipalities would lose some state funding for noncompliance with the law
• Williams said that Ohio municipalities were encouraging undocumented Migration, and that cities that refused to cooperate with the federal authorities were costing the state money, as it had to do more to enforce laws.
• Casey Weinstein opposed the bill, saying it was trying to prevent something that isn’t happening in the state anyway and that it infringed on home rule.
• https://www.nbc4i.com/news/your-local-election-hq/Migration-targeted-by-proposed-ohio-bill/

• A new report found that while over 300 non-citizens had been mistakenly registered to vote in Oregon, only two of those people actually voted, and the issue was attributed to a legislative issue, not an attempt to illegally influence an election
• Oregon has had automatic voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles since 2016. In 2019, a change in state laws led to proof of citizenship not being required to be shown at the DMV, causing for some non-citizens to be mistakenly added to the voter rolls.
• Tobias Read, the Democratic nominee for Secretary of State, called on the Secretary of State’s office to work quickly to prevent the accidental registration from happening in the future.
• https://www.opb.org/article/2024/09/13/noncitizens-registered-oregon-error/ 

• The Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act passed the House of Representatives. The bill would require the federal government deport migrants who were in the United States without documentation if they had a history of domestic violence or sexual offenses.
• While backed by the GOP, the bill had significant bipartisan support, with 51 Democrats joining all Republicans in voting in favor.
• Many of the opponents of the bill have said that the issue is already covered by existing law, and new legislation is not needed.
• https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/3158796/house-bill-passes-requiring-deportation-illegal-International Newcomers-history-sex-offenses/

• Republican Congressman John Duarte discussed proposed legislation that would pair funding for border security with a pathway for legal status available to some DACA recipients and Dreamers
• Those who married a US Citizen, have children, or have been working in the US for five years would be eligible for a green card if they have no criminal history.
• “Dreamers and DACA recipients would be eligible for a Conditional Permanent Residency.,” which could be upgraded into a Lawful Permanent Residency if the applicant has “obtain(ed) a college degree, serve(d) at least three years in the military, or (have been) employed for at least four years,” Your Central Valley reported
• https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/get-our-families-out-of-the-shadows-rep-john-duarte-presents-Migration-bill-in-kerman/

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine published a New York Times op-ed on the controversy surrounding Migration in Springfield, Ohio, which had become a topic in the ongoing presidential campaign
• DeWine, who grew up in nearby Yellow Springs, said “it is disappointing to me that Springfield has become the epicenter of vitriol over America’s Migration policy” and criticized false statements about Haitian International Newcomers in the city.
• DeWine has also sent state-level assistance to local authorities in the city.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/opinion/springfield-haitian-migrants-ohio.html

• Former President and current candidate Donald Trump told reporters if elected he would end two humanitarian parole programs instituted by President Biden, thus ending the legal status of about one million people.
• The program that allows for migrants to use the CBP One app to enter the country and seek asylum, as well as the CHNV program that is open to nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, would be ended under this plan.
• Both programs have been the subject of ongoing litigation.
• Migration advocates criticized the former President’s statement, saying that the revoking of parole on this scale would be “unprecedented, and simply cruel”.
• https://apnews.com/article/trump-Migration-border-cuba-haiti-nicaragua-venezuela-biden-kamala-election-2b0a533fd9f4e96789f96f3e36021cf5

• Statistics show that naturalization applications are being approved at the fastest rate in years, with more then 4 million people gaining US citizenship since the end of 2020.
• Administration officials said that the increase is due to efforts to reduce the backlog of citizenship applications, which, though it existed before 2020, reached new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Many new citizens have cited a desire to gain their citizenship in time to be eligible to vote in the upcoming general elections in November; naturalization rates are often higher than normal in election years.
• https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-26/with-an-election-looming-the-u-s-is-approving-citizenship-applications-at-the-fastest-speed-in-years

• The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirmed a federal law prohibiting those in the country without documentation from owning firearms.
• The case, Medina-Cantu v. US, involved an undocumented International Newcomer charged with unauthorized firearm possession, which Medina-Cantu argued violated his second amendment constitutional rights.
• Judges James Ho, Carolyn King, and Kurt Englehardt wrote that the second amendment did not provide a right for those in the country without authorization to carry firearms, citing the case United States v. Portillo-Munoz.
• https://mynbc15.com/news/nation-world/appeals-court-affirms-federal-law-banning-noncitizens-from-having-guns-common-sense-united-states-v-medina-cantu-jose-paz-medina-cantu-second-amendment-illegal-immigraton

• A new report from the American Migration Council found that 230 of the 500 companies listed on the Fortune 500 list were founded by International Newcomers or the children of International Newcomers.
• Several of America’s largest companies were in the list, including Apple (found by the son of a Syrian International Newcomer), Google (founded by a Russian International Newcomer), JPMorgan Chase (who’s co-founder’s father was born in Austria).
• Firms founded by International Newcomers and their children have a higher revenue than the entire GDP of Germany.
• https://www.americanMigrationcouncil.org/research/new-american-fortune-500-2024

Want to keep up with Migration news in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our Migration update so that you can stay informed about the latest Migration news.

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• A proposed STEM bill would extend the period of OPT for STEM students from 29 months to 48 months
• EB3 visas have hit their cap for Fiscal Year 2024, leading to a pause on the issuance of visas until October of this year
• A group of Republican-run states have challenged a new rule in court that allows recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) to access healthcare through the Affordable Care Act

• Congressman Shri Thanedar, a Michigan Democrat, introduced a new bill that would reform the H1B process as well as make changes for international students
• The bill would extend the period of OPT for STEM students from 29 months to 48.
• It would also change the H-1B system, reforming the lottery as well as increasing the number of STEM H-1B visas from 20,000 to 30,000
• The Bill, which has one co-sponsor, Dan Goldman (D-NY) is currently in the judiciary committee
• https://bizlegalservices.com/2024/08/01/new-bill-introduced-to-keep-stem-graduates-in-u-s/

• Assembly Bill 1840 passed its committee in the California senate, and would expand the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation loan program.
• The bill would allow for undocumented International Newcomers to apply for the program, which was started in 2023 to help first time homebuyers
• California Governor Gavin Newsom has not said whether he will sign the bill or not.
• https://ktla.com/news/california/california-bill-that-could-open-new-pathway-to-homeownership-for-undocumented-International Newcomers-advances-in-state-legislature/

• EB3 visas have hit their cap for Fiscal Year 2024, leading to a pause on the issuance of visas until October of this year
• The caps are set annually by the Migration and Nationality Act, and will be reset in the new FY2025, which starts this fall
• Limits are set to be 28.6% of the worldwide employment limit. No more than 10,000 of these can be EW visas
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/eb-3-and-ew-visa-categories-reach-annual-cap/

• The American Migration Council joined five major organizations in the Migration and scientific spaces in calling for the SEVP to add to the list of STEM programs that qualify for more post-graduate training
• The letter specifically cited the needs of the Artificial Intelligence sector as making an update necessary
• The letter said that the retention of STEM talent was “critical for technological development and U.S. competitiveness.”
• https://Migrationimpact.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/stem-opt-letter-ai-240603.pdf

• A British-born naturalized citizen said that a letter challenging his registration from the Ohio’s Secretary of State office was unlawful.
• Andrew Pearson, a teacher from Cincinnati, has lived in the US since he was 5 after his family relocated from the UK. He was naturalized as a US citizen last year.
• The voting audit seems to have obtained citizenship information from the individual’s citizenship status recorded on their last visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• https://stateline.org/2024/08/20/naturalized-citizen-says-ohio-secretary-of-state-is-not-following-law-in-voter-audits/

• A Biden administration order that allowed a new path for International Newcomer spouses of US citizens to acquire citizenship was paused by a US Federal judge
• Sixteen attorneys general challenged the program in a lawsuit. The states argued that the order caused increased unauthorized Migration.
• Judge J. Campbell Barker said that the claims “were substantial and warrant closer consideration.”
• https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/26/federal-judge-pauses-spouses-citizens/

• A US Court of Appeals upheld an earlier decision in favor of the Department of Homeland Security, declining to block a DHS rule that allows spouses of H-1B visa holders to gain work authorization provided they meet certain criteria
• The decision followed a lawsuit from a group called Save Jobs USA, which argued that the Department of Homeland Security “exceeded its authority under the Migration and Nationality Act”
• The ruling was seen as having broader implications, as an earlier Supreme Court decision this summer overturned the “Chevron” doctrine in favor of a more narrow criteria of how federal agencies can regulate. It had been speculated that this change may have aided Save Jobs USA’s argument.
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2024/08/05/court-ruling-good-news-for-h-1b-spouses-employers-and-students/#

• President Biden’s administration paused a program that allowed for 30,000 migrants from specific countries to enter the US if they had a sponsor agree to support them financially.
• The program, which dates to 2022, is limited to nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
• DHS cited concerns about fraud among program sponsors as its reasons for the pause, which it says will be temporary
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-migrant-sponsorship-program-paused-cuba-haiti-nicaragua-venezuela/

• A group of Republican-run states have challenged a new rule in court that allows recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) to access healthcare through the Affordable Care Act.
• The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, allows those who are “lawfully present” to access its care. In 2012, the government issued a rule that made DACA recipients ineligible, but this changed in May 2024.
• The group, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, said that DACA recipients are not ‘lawfully present’ and therefore are not eligible under the Affordable Care Act.
• https://Migrationimpact.com/2024/08/23/states-sue-to-block-daca-affordable-health-insurance/

Want to keep up with Migration news in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our Migration update so that you can stay informed about the latest Migration news.

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• Harris Would Keep Biden’s EO on Border
• Court Shields Catholic Charities from Deposition
• USCIS Updates Acquisition of Citizenship Guidelines

• Legislators in California are debating a bill that would give local health inspectors the authority to inspect detention centers operated by private companies, which includes all six federal Migration centers in the state
• Senator Maria Elena Durazo says conditions in the facilities are bad, often involving communicable disease problems, and can hurt both those inside and the surrounding communities
• The Bill was passed unanimously out of the State senate and is pending in the State Assembly, the lower house of the California legislature.
• https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/federal-Migration-detention-facilities-ice-local-health-inspectors-complaints-deaths/

• A resolution from the US Conference of Mayors endorsed the idea of a Heartland Visa that would, as the USCM’s statement described it “provide a new pathway for skilled International Newcomers and International Newcomer entrepreneurs who wish to settle in welcoming communities facing population stagnation or decline that would opt-in to such a policy if it aligns with their local economic development goals.”
• The resolution was sponsored by a bipartisan group of Mayors, including Justin Bibb of Cleveland, John Giles of Mesa (Arizona), Tishuara Jones of St. Louis, and Regina Romero of Tuscon.
• The US Conference of Mayors is a nonpartisan national organization of Mayors of large cities, and recently had its annual meeting in Kansas City.
• https://legacy.usmayors.org/resolutions/92nd_Conference/proposed-review-list-full-print-committee-individual.php?resid=a0FKY000000sZ4b2AE

• The US Citizenship and Migration Services (USCIS) issued updated guidelines for how children can acquire citizenship
• The changes clarify that a US Citizen parent may meet the requirement of physical presence in the US before the child’s birth regardless of Migration status as well as the citizenship related regulations for a variety of circumstances, including children born out of wedlock and instances in which a child no longer has a legal relationship with a parent or guardian because of neglect or cruelty
• It also affirms that those who’s claim was denied, but who’s claims may have been accepted under new policy, can file a motion to reopen their case.
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-issues-policy-guidance-on-childrens-acquisition-of-citizenship

• Average processing time for citizenship applications has been reduced substantially, reaching just five months
• The Backlog of citizenship applicants is down by 44% since its 2020 high
• 9 million people are eligible for naturalization, with the highest populations being in California, New York, Texas, and Florida.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/new-report-9-million-International Newcomers-eligible-to-become-citizens-in-2024/

• President Joe Biden, who had planned to seek reelection, announced that he would instead retire in the fall, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris
• Asked by CBS News, a campaign manager for the Vice President indicated that the President’s Executive order that restricted the ability for some migrants to claim asylum would be retained by Harris if elected.
• The campaign manager, Julie Chávez Rodriguez, cited the policy’s “positive impact” on border security and implied it would continue.
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kamala-harris-campaign-chief-signals-biden-border-crackdown-continued-if-elected/

• Unauthorized crossings of the US Mexico Border dropped snigifcantly this month, and near a level at which restrictions on asylum claims would be lifted
• The drop continues after an executive order from President Joe Biden suspended access to the asylum system to those who did not enter at official ports of entry. The measures would be in place when unauthorized crossings hit a specified level.
• Unauthorized crossings have reached a three-year low this summer.
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/migrant-crossings-plunge-near-level-lift-biden-border-crackdown/

• The United States signed an agreement with Panama agreeing to assist the country remove migrants traversing the Darien Gap.
• Panama’s new president José Raúl Mulino has vowed to halt crossings of the Darién Gap, a rugged and dangerous wilderness that has emerged as a major route for migrants seeking to travel northwards
• Secretary of State Alejandro Mayorkas signed an MoU with Panama on the subject while in the country to attend Mulino’s inauguration
• https://apnews.com/article/Migration-removal-homeland-security-panama-9b6056567ec797140dfae1d7efe4f693

• The family of a man who passed away in a Wyoming hospital in 2022 is suing the hospital, saying he was mistreated because of his lack of insurance and his lack of legal status to be in the United States
• The suit alleges that the man, Ociel Ponce Perez, was not given proper medical attention and that the hospital’s policies on undocumented patients lead cargivers to deny him adequate care
• https://wyofile.com/suit-alleges-jackson-hospital-caused-mans-death-due-to-his-Migration-uninsured-status/

• A recent Supreme Court ruling overturned the Chevron doctrine, curtailing federal agencies ability to interpret ambiguous laws
• Migration policy analysts have said that it could reduce the leeway given to agencies like USCIS in the court system
• Federal agencies are expected to see power shift away from them and may lead to more successful challenges of green card denials.
• https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/Migration-proponents-get-boost-from-end-to-chevron-doctrine

• Oklahoma’s House Bill 4156 was put on hold by a federal judge
• The bill makes it illegally for someone to willfully enter the state without legal authorization to be in the United States.
• Oklahoma’s Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, said that it was necessary to counter criminal activity, and filed an appeal. Opponents of the law say that it encroaches on the federal government’s authority to enforce Migration law.
• https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/oklahoma-attorney-general-appeals-Migration-law-injunction/

• Amidst a lawsuite by the State of Texas, a federal judge has denied a request by the state to compel a deposition on Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
• The nonprofit is being sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who claims the organization is helping migrants enter the country illegally, accusations that Catholic Charities deny.
• This is the second ruling that shields the organization from being compelled to participate in a deposition
• https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judges-order-shields-catholic-charities-deposition-texas-investigates-112249710

• The Department of Justice issued a disturbing report documenting pervasive abuse of migrant children at facilities run by Southwest Key Programs.
• Southwest Key is the largest provider of housing for unaccompanied minors
• The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in a Texas Federal Court on July 19^th
• Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said that the complain raised serious concerns about Southwest Key, and reiterated that the HHS has a zero tolerance policy towards abuse
• https://apnews.com/article/migrant-children-provider-lawsuit-0bfd45735aa6d41a4233abe6059f0e1f