Reform

Reform

Congress Punts on Supplemental Funding While Setting up Future Fight on Immigration

Congress Punts on Supplemental Funding While Setting up Future Fight on Immigration

After weeks of uncertainty as to whether Congress would reach a deal to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, earlier this week Congress passed a continuing resolution bill which funds the government through the end of the year. But this delay will only last a matter of months. In… Read More

Biden’s Emergency Funding Proposal Seeks $14 Billion for Immigration System From Congress

Biden’s Emergency Funding Proposal Seeks $14 Billion for Immigration System From Congress

On October 20, the Biden administration renewed its request for emergency supplemental funding for border management from Congress. This new $14 billion request represents more than a $10 billion increase from the administration’s original August proposal and includes a sizeable investment in areas of the immigration system often… Read More

Unrealistic Immigration Demands Complicate Treacherous House Budget Talks

Unrealistic Immigration Demands Complicate Treacherous House Budget Talks

Unless Congress can come to an agreement on the budget by November 17, the government will shut down, forcing tens of thousands of federal employees to work without pay and suspending vital programs around the country. Right now, the biggest obstacle is the lack of a speaker of the house. Read More

New Immigration Court Rule Would Protect Critical Docket Management Tools and Rescind Trump-Era Changes

New Immigration Court Rule Would Protect Critical Docket Management Tools and Rescind Trump-Era Changes

The Department of Justice has proposed a new rule to protect immigration judges’ ability to administratively close removal proceedings and control their ever-expanding dockets. The proposed rule, published on September 8, would also rescind most of the changes introduced by a 2020 Trump-era regulation, including shortened Board of Immigration… Read More

The Ghost of Public Charge Keeps Scaring Immigrant Families Away From Public Benefits

The Ghost of Public Charge Keeps Scaring Immigrant Families Away From Public Benefits

When the Trump administration proposed an overhaul of federal policy regarding when immigrants could be denied green cards or visas based on use of public benefits – the public charge rule – it made an impact in immigrant communities long before it technically took effect. Even early reports… Read More

Biden’s Family Reunification Parole Programs Offer Hope—But With a Blind Spot

Biden’s Family Reunification Parole Programs Offer Hope—But With a Blind Spot

When the Biden administration launched new Family Reunification Parole programs earlier this year, it pointed to existing programs for Cuban and Haitian families as the model. The new programs would allow some people from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras stuck in the immigrant visa backlog to join their family… Read More

States Continue to Lead on Inclusive Immigration Policies: A 2023 Midyear Review of State Legislative Sessions

States Continue to Lead on Inclusive Immigration Policies: A 2023 Midyear Review of State Legislative Sessions

With most state legislatures having adjourned for the year, states—once again—continue to lead the way for welcoming immigrants and refugees. The American Immigration Council tracked over 1,000 immigration-related bills during the 2023 state legislative session. With a few notable exceptions, most successful immigration bills this year aimed to make states… Read More

Biden Administration Will Allow More Families Stuck in Visa Backlog to Reunite in US

Biden Administration Will Allow More Families Stuck in Visa Backlog to Reunite in US

The Biden administration has started a program to allow some Central and South Americans who are stuck in the family visa backlog to come to the United States and reunite with their relatives while they wait for their immigrant visas to become available. But while the new programs could help… Read More

Congress Introduces Sweeping Immigration Reform Bill ‘DIGNIDAD Act’ to Address Systematic Challenges

Congress Introduces Sweeping Immigration Reform Bill ‘DIGNIDAD Act’ to Address Systematic Challenges

On May 23, members of Congress introduced what has sadly become an increasingly rare bit of legislation; a comprehensive immigration reform bill aimed at addressing large-scale systematic problems with large-scale systematic action. The “DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act” represents one of the most sweeping attempts to modify the immigration system that has… Read More

USCIS Policy Change Will Reduce Number of People Who ‘Age Out’ From Green Card Eligibility

USCIS Policy Change Will Reduce Number of People Who ‘Age Out’ From Green Card Eligibility

A recent policy change by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should reduce the number of children who age out of green card eligibility. For immigration purposes, a “child” means someone who is under 21 years old and unmarried. Because of backlogs, noncitizens whose only path to a green… Read More

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