NYT Reports on US Department of Homeland Security's Proposal to Expand Immigration Policy
[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] U.S. President Joe Biden is preparing immigration policies that provide benefits to socially vulnerable groups such as sexual minorities and victims of domestic violence, the New York Times (NYT) reported on the 31st (local time).
The NYT obtained a report titled "Plan to Restore Trust in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Legal Immigration System," revealing that the Biden administration is pushing for immigration system reforms aimed at making U.S. immigration easier and more convenient.
The 46-page report presents the new administration's blueprint to significantly expand legal immigration in the United States. This draft blueprint not only fulfills President Biden's campaign promises but also goes beyond reversing former President Donald Trump's immigration policies by substantially expanding the U.S. legal immigration system.
The report, consisting of seven sections, includes detailed policy proposals to assist foreigners such as highly skilled workers, victims of human trafficking, families of U.S. citizens living abroad, North American Indigenous peoples born in Canada, refugees, asylum seekers, and farmworkers in immigrating to the United States.
According to the report, the Biden administration plans to expedite backlogged immigration applications through "fast-track" processing by expanding remote interviews and electronic documentation and reducing evidence submission requirements for applicants. There is also a proposal to lower fees for immigration applicants who apply online.
Cass Sunstein, former head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs under the Obama administration and a professor at Harvard Law School, stated that "by reducing paperwork and other unnecessary administrative procedures, a more effective immigration system can be restructured."
In addition to restoring employment opportunities for foreign highly skilled workers through the professional H-1B visa, the administration plans to create new immigration pathways for foreign entrepreneurs who "start businesses and create jobs for American workers."
Regulations are also being prepared to allow victims of domestic violence or immigrants whose relatives have been persecuted to qualify for asylum in the United States. Furthermore, the Biden administration aims to expand immigration opportunities for sexual minority refugees from countries that persecute sexual minorities or do not recognize same-sex marriage, the NYT reported.
The U-visa program, which grants citizenship opportunities to undocumented immigrants who assist law enforcement by cooperating with police investigations or testifying in court, will also be expanded. Originally, U-visa approval took about five months, but after the Trump administration, the processing time has increased to as long as five years.
The newspaper predicted that if the Biden administration implements all the policies contained in this proposal, opportunities for immigration to the United States for hopeful immigrants worldwide will significantly increase.
However, since conservative factions including the Republican Party oppose these immigration expansion policies, legislative approval appears uncertain. Considering such opposition, the NYT reported that it is more likely the immigration reform will be enforced through presidential memoranda or emergency regulations rather than formal legislation.
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