Immigration Updates

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• President-Elect Donald Trump’s immigration 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 immigration-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 immigration-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 immigration 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 immigration
• Trump and VP-elect Vance have particularly criticized the use of the program for Haitians and made the influx of Haitian immigrants 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-immigrants-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 immigrants 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 immigration 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 immigration, 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 immigration were stymied by the opposition of immigration hardliners, especially Stephen Miller, who has called for large reductions in legal immigration
• However, the inclusion of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, himself an immigrant, 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 Immigration Reform, which advocates for a more restrictive immigration policy, said that Trump was “definitely going to be more receptive to certain kinds of legal immigration expansion”
• Musk has at times publicly called for making the legal immigration process for highly skilled foreigners easier and faster.
• https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/01/elon-musk-steven-miller-battle-high-tech-immigration-00191922

• Tom Homan, considered a hardliner on the issue of illegal immigration, was named by President-Elect Trump to be the new ‘border Czar’ to advise the president on border security issues
• Homan was previously at Immigration 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/immigration/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 immigration 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-immigration-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 immigrants 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-immigrants-before-trump-takes-office-226034245512

• California Rep. Judy Chu called on the administration to close a privately run Immigration 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/immigration/3249827/california-democrat-biden-administration-close-ice-detention-center/

• House Bill 671

  • Would criminalize the entry of an immigrant 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.
  • Immigration 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 immigration law.
  • https://woub.org/2024/10/17/republican-bill-penalize-immigrants-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 immigrants 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 immigration authorities
  • Specifically, agencies would be required to report to ICE or other federal immigration 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 immigration news in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our immigration update so that you can stay informed about the latest immigration news.

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• Governor DeWine Pens Op-Ed on Springfield Rhetoric
• Trump Says He’ll End Legal Status for Immigrants 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 immigration laws.
• Under the bill, municipalities would lose some state funding for noncompliance with the law
• Williams said that Ohio municipalities were encouraging undocumented immigration, 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/immigration-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-immigrants-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-immigration-bill-in-kerman/

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine published a New York Times op-ed on the controversy surrounding immigration 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 immigration policy” and criticized false statements about Haitian immigrants 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.
• Immigration 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-immigration-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 immigrant 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 Immigration Council found that 230 of the 500 companies listed on the Fortune 500 list were founded by immigrants or the children of immigrants.
• Several of America’s largest companies were in the list, including Apple (found by the son of a Syrian immigrant), Google (founded by a Russian immigrant), JPMorgan Chase (who’s co-founder’s father was born in Austria).
• Firms founded by immigrants and their children have a higher revenue than the entire GDP of Germany.
• https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/new-american-fortune-500-2024

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

This month’s Immigration 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 immigrants 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-immigrants-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 Immigration 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 Immigration Council joined five major organizations in the immigration 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://immigrationimpact.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 immigrant 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 immigration.
• 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 Immigration 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://immigrationimpact.com/2024/08/23/states-sue-to-block-daca-affordable-health-insurance/

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

This month’s Immigration 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 immigration 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-immigration-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 immigrants and immigrant 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 Immigration 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 immigration 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-immigrants-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/immigration-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-immigration-uninsured-status/

• A recent Supreme Court ruling overturned the Chevron doctrine, curtailing federal agencies ability to interpret ambiguous laws
• Immigration 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/immigration-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 immigration law.
• https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/oklahoma-attorney-general-appeals-immigration-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

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• Ex-President Donald Trump proposed giving green cards to non-citizens who graduate college
• Biden Eases Visa Process for US Grads and Dreamers
• Biden Executive Order Limits Asylum Seeking

• Ohio lawmakers introduced House Bill 327, which would require public works contractors, nonresidential construction contractors, and businesses with more than 75 employees in the state to use E-Verify to confirm that employees are legally authorized to work in the United States.
• E-Verify is a federal system that matches an I-9 document to government records to ensure that they have legal authorization to work in the country.
• The bill had support from both parties in the house, some of whom said that it could crack down on bad business practices, with one Rep highlighting companies in construction who take advantage of workers.
• https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2024-06-14/ohio-bill-mandating-e-verify-use-gets-backing-from-both-sides-in-house

• A bipartisan bill in the Ohio House of Representatives would require state universities to adapt and enforce a policy to prevent racial, religious, and ethnic harassment and intimidation
• The bill, called the Enact Campus Act, follows a complaint made by several nonprofits and civil rights organizations against Ohio State, who said that Jewish students at the university faced antisemitic harassment and sometimes even violence since war broke out between Israel and Hamas on October 7th of last year.
• The bill is sponsored by Republican Justin Pizzulli and Democrat Dontavius Jarrells.
• https://www.crainscleveland.com/education/ohio-bill-would-require-colleges-adopt-harassment-and-intimidation-policy

• President Biden took an executive action that would allow for the turning away of migrants when there is a high volume of border crossings
• The order will take effect when the seven-day average of daily crossings is over 2,500.
• Migrants expelled under the border can receive a minimum five-year ban on entry to the US and may be subject to criminal prosecution
• https://thehill.com/latino/4702539-biden-executive-order-asylum-southern-border-immigration/

• President Joe Biden announced a new policy that would protect some 500,000 people from deportation who are undocumented immigrants but married to US Citizens.
• To be eligible, the individual must be married to an American citizen and has to have lived in the US for over ten years.
• Some commentators have called it the largest expansion of immigration protection since DACA.
• https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/news/biden-protections-undocumented-spouses-daca-recipients

• Apprehensions involving illegal border crossings plummeted by almost half in the aftermath of President Biden’s executive order to restrict asylum access when border crossings reached a certain level
• Border Patrol statistics showed that daily arrests by the Border Patrol have fallen below 2,400 on average, marking the lowest number since January of 2021.
• https://www.livenowfox.com/news/migrant-crossings-fall-biden-border

• Former President Donald Trump proposed giving green cards to non-citizens who graduate college in an interview on the All-In Podcast.
• “What I want to do and what I will do is you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” Trump said. “And that includes junior colleges, too.”
• Trump said that without being able to stay here, many foreign students return to their home countries, creating companies there.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/20/us/politics/trump-green-cards-college-graduates.html

• A new Biden administration policy eases the path towards getting a work visa for foreign nationals educated here.
• The policy would prioritize graduates from US Colleges and Universities who are working in the same field they were educated for, would prioritize ‘national interest’ skills and would provide certainty to the waiver process for those with prior unlawful presence in the US
• DACA recipients are eligible for this if they meet the requirements
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/biden-eases-visa-process-for-u-s-grads-and-dreamers/

• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have opened new offices in the Middle East, in both Ankara, Turkey, and Doha, Qatar.
• Officials cited the need to increase overseas presence as well as the refugee population in the region as key reasons for the expansion
• USCIS has 11 field office outside the USs; existing ones are in China, Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico, Kenya, India, El Salvador, and Honduras.
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-to-open-international-field-offices-in-qatar-and-turkey

• In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court found that US Citizens do not have the constitutional right to challenge their spouses visa denials.
• The Case, Muñoz v. Dept. Of State, involved an American woman and her Salvadorian husband, who was denied a visa as the state department suspected him of having ties to organized crime, which her husband denied.
• The Court decided that Muñoz could not challenge this visa denial, under the principle of consular nonreviewability, which limits the ways in which decisions by consular officials can be challenged in court.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/scotus-rules-on-u-s-citizens-right-to-challenge-spousal-visa-denials/

• Last Month, José Raúl Mulino was elected president of Panama
• The Darién Gap, a remote and rugged forested area, separates Panama and Colombia. Impassible by road, it has emerged as a passageway on foot for migrants seeking to enter the US, but traversing the territory is often very dangerous.
• Mulino has promised to close the Darién Gap to migrants and is seeking to work with President Biden’s administration to accomplish this. Mulino also said that he wants US funding to repatriate migrants, an idea that former US Ambassador to Panama John Feeley was supportive of.
• https://ca.news.yahoo.com/biden-opportunity-deal-stem-migrant-202527989.html

• Ecuador’s Foreign ministry announced they would suspend their agreement with China that allowed them to visit the South American country without a visa.
• The Foreign ministry noted that Ecuadorian authorities found that around half of Chinese nationals did not leave the country “through regular routes”, and many likely attempted to travel through Central America to the US.
• The US-Mexico border has seen an increase in Chinese citizens trying to cross into the US over the past year and a half.
• https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-china-visas-agreement-migration-5f44c3c0ad6bbb2b86aedb1e5a9798f3

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• Boundless Immigration reported the number of visas issued by the us in the first half of this fiscal year had reached a record high
• The Biden administration unveiled a new plan to speed up the immigration court cases of certain single adults caught crossing the US Mexico border without authorization to do so
• The Cato Institute, a libertarian leaning thinktank, reported that immigrants seeking an employer sponsored green card faced a wait time of over three years

• The Cato Institute, a libertarian leaning thinktank, reported that immigrants seeking an employer sponsored green card faced a wait time of over three years

• This is a significant worsening of the situation over the last decade and the process has become 15 months longer than it was in 2016.

• The report warned that the US would risk “los(ing) the global talent competition” if changes were not made to streamline the system

• https://www.cato.org/blog/employer-sponsored-green-card-processing-takes-31-years

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called the state legislator back into session after it did not take action that would permit President Joe Biden to appear on the ballot.
• Ohio law requires candidates to be nominated 90 days before the election, but Biden will not be formally nominated until the Democratic National Convention, held 12 days after the deadline.
• Attempts to fix the issue failed to pass amid an attempt to pair it with a separate bill about campaign finance.
• https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/05/23/ohio-gov-mike-dewine-calls-lawmakers-into-special-session-to-fix-biden-ballot-debacle/

• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services updated the eligibility of people for a streamlined green card process, which is geared toward individuals with “exceptional ability” in STEM fields
• The changes expand the definition of “science or art” to enable a broader range of STEM professionals to qualify.
• The Schedule A, Group II process, of which these applicants can be a part, offers a faster and simpler process to obtain a green card
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/uscis-expands-green-card-eligibility-for-stem-professionals/

• The Biden administration unveiled a new plan to speed up the immigration court cases of certain single adults caught crossing the US Mexico border without authorization to do so.
• Single adults with court dates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City will be eligible to be put in a special docket with the aim of resolving their case in 180 days
• At least ten judges will be placed in the new program initially
• DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the program would not be a substitute for a legislative solution
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-speed-up-immigration-cases-recent-border-crossers-new-program-2024-05-16/

• The US government sanctioned 250 Nicaraguan government officials and three organizations on their grounds that they had repressed human rights in the country and had permitted human smuggling in the country’s territory.
• The government of Daniel Ortega, who has been in power for two different periods going back to 1979, has been accused of violently suppressing political opposition by means of extrajudicial killings, death squads, and suppression of peaceful protest.
• Nicaragua lies on one of the main migrant routes to the US, and some smugglers have promoted routes through the country online.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-imposes-visa-restrictions-other-penalties-nicaraguan-government-2024-05-15/

• Boundless Immigration reported the number of visas issued by the us in the first half of this fiscal year had reached a record high.
• Among the categories of visa hitting record highs are:
  • Visitor visas for tourism or business travel (B-1s and B-2s)
  • H-2 visas, for temporary seasonal workers
  • Employment based green cards, which, while small in number, represented a major increase (75% over 2019)
  • Family reunification visas
  • J and F visas for academic and cultural exchanges
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/state-department-record-number-visas-first-half-fiscal-year-2024/

• President Joe Biden issued an order amending the definition of “lawfully present” to include recipients of the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA)
• The change makes the recipients eligible to enroll in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act
• DACA is a policy allowing for immigrants who came to the US as children and are here without lawful immigrant status to avoid deportation
• DACA has been subject to court challenges at various times in the past decade
• https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/03/biden-obamacare-daca-00155881

• A bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers, including Reps. Mike Flood (R-Texas), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) introduced a bill allowing international student athletes to benefit from Name, Image, and Likeness revenue
• Back in 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adapted a new policy allowing student athletes to earn money from their name, image, or likeness, such as endorsing a product and being paid to do so.
• However, International Students, who are usually here on an F-1 visa, are prohibited from doing so.
• The bill, called the Name, Image, and Likeness for International Collegiate Athletes Act, would change the laws surrounding the F-1 visa to enable students to make money from NIL agreements without affecting their visa status.
• https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2024/05/14/nil-name-image-likeness

• A border security bill rooted in the unsuccessful aid and border security package negotiated this year failed to advance out of the Senate amid GOP opposition
• The bill would raise standards for migrants to qualify for asylum, give the president power to shut down the border entirely if border crossings reached certain thresholds, and empowered border control officials to quickly dismiss asylum seekers who fail to meet certain standards
• Several members of the Senate who had supported the bill in principle voted no on this vote, claiming the vote was a political stunt.
• Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated his opposition to the proposal.
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-block-border-security-bill-campaign-border-chaos-rcna153607

• Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a new law that requires law enforcement officers to notify federal authorities when an undocumented immigrant is arrested.
• The bill was passed after the murder of Laken Riley, a nursing school student who’s accused murderer had entered the US without documentation, and had previously been arrested on unrelated charges, but released
• Kemp said that the bill would help prevent similar crimes from happening in the future, though opponents, such as the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, criticized the bill, saying it created an unfunded mandate on local law enforcement and would expand incarceration of people of color.
• https://gbpi.org/gbpis-statement-on-the-signing-of-house-bill-1105/
• https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/05/01/kemp-signs-bill-into-law-forcing-sheriffs-to-enforce-federal-immigration-law/

• Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn called for the US government to revoke the visas of international students sympathetic to Hamas.
• Blackburn cited slogans including “We are Hamas” and “River to the sea” as examples
• Campuses across the country have seen widespread protests over the Israel Hamas War
• Blackburn introduced a bill that would ban such protesters who were convicted of crimes from having their student loans forgiven, but it does not appear to contain a provision about international students or immigration. Blackburn’s proposal to designate them as being on the No-Fly list also does not show up in the bill
• https://thehill.com/policy/international/4634492-gop-senator-calls-for-deporting-certain-foreign-student-protesters/

• US District Judge Roy Altman temporarily blocked parts of a Florida immigration bill that would prohibit the transportation of an undocumented immigrant into Florida.
• Altman, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, said that the law “extends beyond the state’s authority to make arrests for violations of federal immigration law”
• A spokesperson for the Florida Attorney General said the state would appeal the ruling
• https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/22/ron-desantis-immigration-court-case-00159552

• The case Bouarfa v. Mayorkas will go to the Supreme Court
• The case involves Amina Bouarfa, a US Citizen who is married to a non-citizen who had attempted to get a visa through a previous marriage. Bouarfa’s petition for her husband was denied on these grounds. Bouafara sued the Secretary of Homeland Security in federal court
• The court will hear the question on whether US courts can review a visa revocation.
• https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/justices-consider-juridical-review-for-sham-marriage-finding

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• USCIS Makes Changes to Streamline Social Security Card Process
• House to Investigate Deportation Cases
• Congress Aid Package Passes Without Immigration Provisions

• Congress passed a legislative package on foreign aid for Israel, the Pacific, and Ukraine after months of negotiations
• Contrary to initial plans, the package did not include a border security bill
• A previous deal negotiated by Senator James Lankford would’ve combined the package with border security measures, but the deal fell apart earlier this year amid Republican opposition, including from House Speaker Mike Johnson.
• Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/us-china-high-level-talks-deport-chinese-nationals-mayorkas-says-rcna146590

• 200,000 cases for deportation were dismissed after the Department of Homeland Security failed to file a Notice to Appear in court
• The government only refiled charges in less than 30% of these cases.
• Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have vowed to investigate; supporters cited a murder in Maryland allegedly committed by a man who was ordered to be removed from the country, but not deported
• Source: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/house-republicans-to-probe-homeland-securitys-200000-botched-immigration-court-cases/

• 47 members of congress wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressing concern over the deahts of several people in custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Thousands of people have been held in solitary confinement, often for extended periods of time.
• An OIG report also found troubling reports of substandard medical care
• The congress members called on DHS to ensure compliance with federal law and to phase out solitary confinement.
• Source: https://jayapal.house.gov/2024/04/15/jayapal-urging-accountability-following-reports-of-mistreatment-of-detained-persons-at-immigration-detention-facilities/

• Crossings of the US-Mexico border by Chinese nationals increased by 11 times last year
• Chinese citizens have visa-free access to Ecuador, and have traveled from there to Mexico, crossing into the US by land
• DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the two countries are in talks to deport Chinese nationals who are here without authorization
• Lack of cooperation on this topic had been an issue of concern for US officials
• Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/us-china-high-level-talks-deport-chinese-nationals-mayorkas-says-rcna146590

• US President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced new measures to work closely together to reduce unauthorized border crossings.
• The presidents said that they would have their national security teams work in concert to “significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights”
• While the administration did not disclose specifics on what this would mean it is believed that the measures could include more deportation flights and stronger enforcement measures directed towards the use of buses, railways, and airports for unauthorized border entry.
• Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/us/politics/biden-mexico-illegal-immigration.html

• Bids for the H1B visa are down 38% in 2024 comapred to a similar figure at this time in 2023.
• However, this is believed to be because of a crackdown on fraud. It is thought that many of the previous applications were actually from companies submitting multiple applications in an effort to game the system
• Back in 2021, the USCIS dropped a requirement to mail in extensive paperwork in an effort to ease barriers, but this unintentionally made it easier for companies to fraudulently submit duplicate applications.
• USCIS Director Ur Jaddou said that the drop was attributed to more efforts to stop the gaming of the system
• Data also showed that technology companies are among the top users of the H1-B visa, with Amazon.com, Apple, Google, Infosys, Microsoft, and Meta (Facebook) all in the Top Ten.
• Some tech companies had pushed for the change, including Intel, who said that fraud in the lottery was making it harder for legitimate applications from companies following the rules.
• Source: https://apnews.com/article/h1b-tech-visas-immigration-uscis-lottery-96717f789e7e4827a94dea6d054a0aee

• Ex President Donald Trump, running to regain his old job, said that he would employ local police to deport immigrants in the US without authorization
• Trump told Time magazine that local law enforcement would be a key to his plans to increase deportations.
• While local law enforcement cannot be ordered to enforce federal immigration law, Trump was open to the possibility of using federal funding as a way to push them to do so.
• Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-hed-local-police-162631949.html

• The USCIS announced changes to the guidelines for the I-693 form.
• The new regulations state that any I-693 medical exam from November 1st, 2023 or later will no longer expire
• Exams from before that date have a validity lasting two years.
• Source: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-announces-new-guidance-on-form-i-693-validity-period

• Beginning in April of this year the USCIS will allow new citizens to request a Social Security card on their N-400 form.
• The N-400 form is the application for naturalization, and it has new questions that have been added recently
• In most cases, new citizens will no longer need to visit a Social Security Administration office for a new or replacement card.
• Source: https://www.boundless.com/blog/boundless-weekly-immigration-news-archive-april-5-2024/

• Kansas City Mayor Quintin Lucas said that his city was looking at ways to attract more immigrants in an effort to boost its workforce
• The Mayor told reporters that he was in talks with Denver and New York City, both of which have seen an influx in migrants in recent years that has put considerable strain on city services, about how to bring migrants with work authorization to Kansas City
• Lucas told Bloomberg News that the city’s companies were in serious need of employees.
• Source: https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2024/04/30/kansas-city-mayor-quinton-lucas-immigration-sanctuary-city-2024/

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• Spending Bill Contains 12,000 SIVs for Afghan Allies
• Biden Announces Immigration Proposals in State of the Union
• SCOTUS Lifts Hold on Texas Law

• Federal lawmakers passed a spending bill that contained among other things 12,000 special immigrant visas for Afghans who aided the US military, and also extended the program until 2025
• Finding security for Afghan allies who fled their country has been a concern since the Taliban overthrew the Afghan government in 2021 and the US withdrew
• Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas said that the 12,000 visas was a “great response” to the needs of the Afghan evacuees
• A more permanent solution is needed, advocates say, and the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act remains pending.
• https://www.voanews.com/a/us-adds-12-000-special-immigrant-visas-for-afghans-advocates-say-more-needed-/7542185.html

• A bill that would require the detention of any migrant that committed theft or bulgary passed the House earlier this month.
• The bill was named after Laken Riley, a young woman who was murdered in Georgia earlier this year. The suspect in the murder, a Venezuelan man, had previously been detained on theft charges but was released
• The bill was primarily supported by Republicans, but also received considerable support from the Democratic caucus, with 37 Democratic members of Congress voting yes.
• Proposals to attach the bill to the spending “minibus” were underway but ultimately did not lead to the inclusion of the bill
• https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/politics/house-passes-laken-riley-act/index.html

• Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador weighed in on the US immigration debate and proposed measures that the US could take to address the high levels of migration across the US Mexico border.
• López Obrador suggested the US commit $20 billion annually in aid for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, lift sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela, and offer legalization for Mexican citizens in the United States.
• López Obrador, who has been President of Mexico since 2019 and is leaving office this year as the Mexican constitution limits president to a single six year term, told 60 minutes that “the flow of migrants will continue” if these measures are not taken.
• The President also opposed any efforts to close the border, saying it would harm the economy in the US and Mexico.
•  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexican-president-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-talks-immigration-cartels-fentanyl-crisis-60-minutes-transcript/

• The Transportation Safety Administration has begun requiring migrants who lack passports to undergo facial recognition screening to board domestic flights
• The TSA said that those without passports or valid ID will have to be identified in DHS records in order to be admitted to secure areas of airports
• It’s unclear when the change was implemented, though the TSA said it wasn’t in response to a specific threat.
• https://apnews.com/article/immigration-airport-security-facial-recognition-37b8f40ad768706cd335d9254e6a07e4

• President Joe Biden announced a series of new immigration related measures in the annual State of the Union Speech
• Key to the President’s proposals are the hiring of additional personell to staff border security and immigration agencies, including 4,300 new asylum officers, 1,500 border security agents, and 100 more judges
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/boundless-weekly-immigration-news-archive-march-15-2024/

• The Supreme Court weighed in on Texas’ controversial immigration bill, lifting a hold on the law in a 7-2 decision (albiet one that was later complicated by other court rulings)
• The law allows state law enforcement to arrest migrants who cross the border outside of the authorized crossings. The federal government has argued that this violates federal authority on the immigration issue.
• The Supreme Court did not itself rule on SB4’s constitutionality in any final decision
• https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2024/03/19/supreme-court-lifts-hold-on-texas-immigration-law#:~:text=TEXAS%20—%20The%20Supreme%20Court%20will,court%20decides%20on%20its%20constitutionality.

• A federal appeals court kept in place a block on Texas’ controversial SB4 law
• The bill, which would have local law enforcement arrest migrants who engage in unathorized crossings of the US-Mexican border, has been the subject of a legal battle between the state and the federal government, who say that the law interferes with federal jurisdiction
• The decision, a 2-1 ruling, held an earlier suspension of the law’s implementation, and the subject remains one that will continue to play out in the court system.
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2024/03/27/texas-immigration-law-federal-appeals-court/

• Tragedy struck Baltimore, Maryland, when a container ship, the Dali, truck the Francis Scott Key Bridge after she experienced engine issues, collapsing the bridge
• The Consul General of Guatemala confirmed two Guatemalan citizens were among the presumed dead, while a local immigrant group confirmed that Miguel Luna, originally from El Salvador but a near 20-year Baltimore resident, was also among the victims
• The construction crew closed the bridge to traffic when the captain of the Dali issued a mayday call, saving lives.
• https://abcnews.go.com/US/baltimore-bridge-collapse-missing-construction-workers/story?id=108535622

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• Higher immigration levels are helping employers fill roles in a tight labor market, according to a Congressional Budget office reports
• A proposal to link aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with measures for border security failed to gain support in the Senate
• President Joe Biden is considering an executive action that would restrict access to the US asylum system

• A bipartisan group of congress members introduced the DOCTORs Act, which would allow states to transfer unused Conrad 30 slots to states that need them
• The Conrad 30 program allows foreign born medical school graduates to remain in the United States
• The bill, similar to one that was introduced in the senate last year, has 21 sponsors/cosponsors, 10 republicans and 11 democrats. It was introduced by Republican Congressman Troy Nehls of Texas, and is supported by GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik and Border Security and Enforcement Committee Chair Clay Higgins.

Source: https://stefanik.house.gov/2024/1/stefanik-helps-introduce-bill-to-address-doctor-shortage

• A proposal to link aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with measures for border security failed to gain support in the Senate
• The proposal was criticized by conservative Republicans in the senate who wanted a more restrictive border policy
• Speaker Mike Johnson had already stated that the deal would not pass the house

• Cory Tomczyk, a Republican member of the state senate, introduced a new bill to give provisional licenses to international medical graduates
• Licensing can often times be difficult for IMGs, and bills to ease the path for them has been a trend in recent years, with Tennessee, Washington State, Idaho, and Colorado, among others, passing bills to do so.
• https://trackbill.com/bill/wisconsin-senate-bill-900-relating-to-provisional-licenses-to-practice-medicine-and-surgery-for-internationally-trained-physicians-and-physician-assistants-and-granting-rule-making-authority-fe/2481275/2

• President Joe Biden is considering an executive action that would restrict access to the US asylum system.
• Biden would use the 212(f) law, a section of federal law that enables the president to suspend entry to this country under certain circumstances. It was used by the Trump administration on several occasions
• Migrant arrivals on the US-Mexican border have surged in recent years
• Sources say Biden hasn’t decided for sure yet, but may announce the decision within the next two weeks
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-weighs-invoking-executive-authority-stage-border-crackdown-212f/

• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services says it has made progress in the reduction of case backlogs recently, and said in a press release they had reduced their case backlog by 15%
• The agency also made progress on the citizenship/naturalization process, with an average time it takes a new citizen to be naturalized dropping from 10 ½ months to just 6.1 months.
• USCIS reported giving the oath of allegiance to over 875,500 new Americans in fiscal year 2023
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/uscis-breaks-records-and-reduces-backlogs/

• Customs and Border Patrol reported nearly 250,000 encounters of migrants attempting to cross the US-Mexico border in December of 2023
• This is a new record, surpassing the previous record of 224,000 in May 2022
• This follow several years of unusually high numbers of migrant encounters, which have been higher than normal since they rebounded from a low point during the most severe phases of the COVID-19 pandemic
• https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/15/migrant-encounters-at-the-us-mexico-border-hit-a-record-high-at-the-end-of-2023/

• The US government reimposed some sanctions on the Venezuelan government
• A previous deal specified that the US would offer sanction relief in exchange for moves by Venezuela toward more open elections, but Venezuela’s government disqualified the opposition’s president candidate Maria Corina Machado.
• Many polls have shown Machado would win in a landslide over Venezuela’s current president Nicolás Maduro.
• Venezuela’s authoritarian regime has plunged the country into crisis, leading to millions of Venezuelans to flee the country
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/30/us-reimposes-some-sanctions-after-venezuela-bans-presidential-hopeful#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20has%20begun,of%20an%20opposition%20presidential%20hopeful

• A US Federal Court halted implementation of a Texas state law that would have enabled state and local officials to arrest migrants crossing the US Mexico border
• The ruling is a victory for the federal government, which has opposed the law, saying border enforcement is a federal power
• In the case, Judge David Ezra, who was appointed to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan, issued a priliminary injuction and suggested that the federal government was likely to win the case eventually.
• Legal experts have said the case may soon reach the Supreme Court
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/us/texas-border-law-court-injunction.html

• Texas’ Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Annunciation House, a Faith based shelter assisting migrant families in El Paso.
• Paxton accused the charity, affiliated with the Catholic Church, was involved in human smuggling.
• Paxton’s suit was opposed by leaders in the Catholic Church and in the local community, with the El Paso Mayor describing the work Annunciation House does as essential.
• https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/texas-attorney-general-targets-catholic-migrant-shelter-alleging-human-smuggling/

• Higher immigration levels are helping employers fill roles in a tight labor market, according to a Congressional Budget office reports
• Newly arrived immigrants will help the US Economy grow by $7 trillion over the next decade
• Immigration has increased under President Biden; when Biden took office in January 2021 foreign born workers were 17.3% of the workforce, now they are almost 19%.
• https://www.axios.com/2024/02/27/biden-immigration-workers-inflation-wages

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

This month’s Immigration Update at a glance:

• Senators are negotiating a proposal that would take several measures to reduce unauthorized border crossings 
• Immigration parole has been used to allow entry to over one million people since President Joe Biden took office
• In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court allowed the federal government to remove barriers on the US-Mexico border 

• Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said a deal on immigration and foreign aid was “in a quandry”. 
• Ex-President and current candidate Donald Trump has opposed the deal and has worked to prevent it from being approved by congress 
• McConnell said that while no decision is in made the proposed agreement, which would involve Israel and Ukraine aid in exchange for border security measures, might be broken up into individual bills

Source: CNN

• Amid reports that Presidential candidate Donald Trump was advocating against a deal on immigration, some GOP Senators have told the press they still favor a deal
• Some in the party have reportedly raised the issue of whether a successful border security bill could make the immigration issue less potent in the 2024 presidential election
• Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told reporters it was “immoral” to decline to pass good policy in order to help Trump’s candidacy.

Source: NBC

• Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Krysten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) are negotiating a proposal that would take several measures to reduce unauthorized border crossings  
• Senator Lankford told the press that a report saying the deal would increase green cards and only allow migrant deportations if border crossings exceed 5,000 per day over a weeklong period was inaccurate  
• The congressional GOP have sought to make additional funding for Ukraine contingent on a border security deal  

• Semiconductor industry experts have advocated for changes to the visa system to bring more workers in the sector to the US.  
• Semiconductor Engineering wrote an article that got significant attention in the industry, and quoted an expert who felt that the government recognized the issue of the talent shortage.   
• The US has seen increasing investment in semiconductor manufacturing in recent years, with Intel and TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) making major capitol investments here.  
• The Semiconductor Industry Association, a trade group within the sector, estimated a 67,000 person shortage of semiconductor workers by 2030 

Source: Semi Engineering

• New York City has experienced considerable difficulty handling the influx of migrants crossing over the US-Mexico border over the past year; Mayor Eric Adams told reporters that the city’s ‘right to shelter’ laws were a contributing factor 
• New York’ right to shelter law, which oblidges the local authorities to provide housing in certain circumstances, was not designed for and should not apply too the present situation, city officials assert. 
• New York City has received around 161,000 asylum seekers as of this month 
• Legal Aid of New York City told reports they hoped a compromise could be reached

Source: NY Post

• The US State Department will start a pilot program allowing for H1-B visas renewals to be processed in the United States. 
• An estimated 20,000 participants will be eligible for the renewal program starting January 29, 2024   

Source: U.S. State Dept.

• Immigration parole has been used to allow entry to over one million people since President Joe Biden took office in January of 2021, according to a CBS News report 
• Parole was first introduced in 1952, and has been used extensively by the Biden administration 
• Congress has considered new legislation to restrict the ability of the executive branch to use parole for immigrants.

Source: CBS

• Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in an interview that he is pushing for two priorities to be added to a federal deal on immigration: funding for cities and work authorization or immigrants
• Denver has received an influx of migrants, many arriving via bus from Texas
• Johnston said that the decision to give TPS to Venezuelans as well as the CBP One application was “a game changer” that helped the city handle the influx of migrants more effectively

• In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court allowed the federal government to remove barriers on the US-Mexico border
• The barrier, made of razor wire, was put up by Texas authorities and has been part of a long running legal battle between Texas’ state government and the Biden administration
• The ruling’s majority saw Justices Jackson, Kagan, and Sotomayor joined by Justices Roberts and Barrett.

Source: Axios

• In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on Texas’ dispute with the federal government, 25 Republican governors signed a letter supporting Texas 
• The letter stated that the Biden administration had failed to do its duty to secure the US-Mexico border, and that Texas was constitutionally within its right to take action. 
• The White House said in response that the governors should urge their states’ congressional representatives to pass legislation to solve the issue. 

Source: USA Today

• The war between Israel and the militant group Hamas has continued, with Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel continuing major combat operations in the Gaza Strip
• Numerous Israeli civilians remain held hostage
• The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated, with a lack of food, water, power, and medical supplies putting lives at risk.
• The Yemen militant group the Houthis have increasingly attacked shipping in the Red Sea, prompting a joint British American strike against Houthi facilities
• Meanwhile, Iran launched an attack on Iraqi Kurdistan 

• Ecuador erupted into violence after crime lord Adolfo Macias escaped from prison 
• Members of criminal syndicates attacked numerous targets, including a university and a television station 
• Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency, and activated the armed forces to restore order 
• Ecuador has been a significant source of migrants who have claimed asylum in the US, and its liberal visa policy has led it to be a significant location for people trying to get to the US from overseas 

• Bernardo Arévalo took office as President of Guatemala amid an attempt to impede the inauguration following a controversial election.  
• Arévalo, a diplomat and a son of a former President, won the election last year, but the attorney general’s office sought to annul the election. The country’s supreme court upheld the election results. 
• The political crisis, in which attempts were made to delay the inauguration of Arévalo, raised concerns that Guatemala could destabilize and contribute to the ongoing movement or refugees and migrants to the US-Mexico border. The chaos resulted in multiple foreign dignitaries, including the President of Chile and King Felipe of Spain to have to leave before the inauguration took place, but Arévalo was sworn in on January 15th.  
• Source: Griffin Daily News