The Budget Process for FY2024 is under way in the U.S. Congress. Global Cleveland and our partners at the National Partnership for New Americans, alongside dozens of other regional/national non-profits are encouraging Congress to include additional Backlog Reduction funding for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This is in addition to an expansion to the funding for the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant program which supports the work of agencies and non-profits around the country seeking to help new Americans prepare for and successfully apply for U.S. Citizenship. 

In April 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that as part of their post Title 42 strategy they would be opening Regional Processing Centers for Central/South American Migrants in countries around Central/South America 

On June 12th, the first two of these centers opened in Guatemala and Costa Rica with a third facility planned to open in Colombia in the next few months 

• These centers will not allow any migrants to apply for a status in the United States, but rather will inform them if they are eligible for any legal status, temporary or permanent. 
• This is an attempt to dissuade migrants who will be ineligible for admittance to the United States from making the long dangerous journey to the U.S.-Mexico Border. 
• The effectiveness of these centers will be seen in the coming months and years as they begin working with migrants. 

On June 8th, USCIS formally unveiled the process for Afghan Allies who arrived as part of Operation Allies Welcome to apply for reparole in the United States and extension of their Employment Authorization for two years. This process will be fee-exempted and will only requiring the online or paper filing of an I-131 form.  

• Any Afghan parolee who has applied for asylum or adjustment to permanent residence is ineligible to apply for reparole as they will be considered for it automatically alongside their application for a permanent immigration status.  
• Any current Afghan parolee who has not applied for a permanent status or has applied for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is eligible for the new reparole process and extension of their employment authorization.  

This parole process opened on June 8th and all eligible Afghan Parolees are able to apply. Please visit the USCIS portal for Afghan newcomers for more information: Information for Afghan Nationals | USCIS 

Below is an official walkthrough video of the online reparole application process provided by USCIS. 

• Form I-131: Afghan ReParole - USCIS Online Account Demo – YouTube 

On June 13th, 2023 the Biden-Harris Administration announced that they would be extending Temporary Protected Status for individuals from El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua currently benefitting from the program. Approximately 337,000 people, will benefit from this relief and will be able to apply to remain in the United States for another 18 months. 

• See the formal announcement for exact details on eligibility and time frame for each country: DHS Rescinds Prior Administration’s Termination of Temporary Protected Status Designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua | Homeland Security 

Reuters reported that the Biden-Harris Administrations new pilot program to allow some H1-B and L-1 workers in the United States to renew their visas here in the United States rather than travel back to their home country. 

• This pilot program will be available to some Indian H1-B and L-1 workers. 
• This program has the ability to allow foreign workers here in the United States to avoid thousands of dollars in travel costs.  
• If this Pilot program is successful we may see it expanded to include more foreign workers here in the United States and make it easier for these people to build their lives here in the U.S. and contribute to the U.S Economy. 
• Link to Reuters Report: Exclusive: US to ease visas for skilled Indian workers as Modi visits | Reuters 

Back in January, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the Welcome Corps program to allow private U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents to sponsor refugees to come to United States  

• After ½ year of build up and capacity building the first two refugee families to admitted and welcomed under the Welcome Corps Program were welcomed to Minnesota on World Refugee Day, Tuesday June 20th. 
• Hopefully this is indicative of many more resettlements to come as Americans show their ability to open and welcome those in need. 
• Official State Department Release: First Welcome Corps Refugee Arrivals Greeted by Sponsors in the United States – United States Department of State 

In short, the State of Texas sued the Biden-Harris Administration and the Department of Homeland Security over the DHS deportation enforcement priorities emphasizing the deportation of convicted criminals over that of other undocumented migrants. The court ruled 8-1 in favor of the Federal Government upholding precedent that immigration enforcement priorities are decision of the Federal Executive Branch, not state governments or the court system.  

The decision in U.S. v Texas was announced on Friday June 23rd, 2023.