MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / February 4, 2021 / Today, the Law Firm of Carlos E. Sandoval released the following summary of President Joe Biden's immigration reform policies. In his first week in office, President Biden signed several executive orders reversing many of former President Donald Trump's policies and introduced to Congress a comprehensive immigration reform policy.
President Biden's immigration reform bill includes:
- Pathway to citizenship for 11 million people.
- Temporary legal status for persons that were in the United States as of January 1, 2021 and possibility to apply for a green card after five years if they meet certain requirements.
- Qualified Dreamers, TPS holders and immigrant farmers are eligible for green cards immediately with the possibility of applying for citizenship after three years if they meet certain requirements.
- Reuniting families.
- The bill reforms the immigration system by clearing all backlogs, recapturing unused visas, eliminating lengthy wait times, and increasing per country visa caps.
- Eliminates the so-called "3 and 10-year bars" and other provisions that keep families apart.
- Provides protections for orphans, widows, children, and Filipino veterans who served in World War 2.
- It also allows immigrants with approved family petitions to join family in the U.S. while a green card becomes available.
- It also seeks to prohibit discrimination based on religion or sex orientation and increases diversity visas from 55,000 to 80,000.
- Strengthens labor protections.
- Makes it easier for graduates of U.S. universities with advanced STEM degrees to stay in the United States.
- Improves access to green cards for workers in lower-wage sectors and eliminates other unnecessary barriers for employment-based green cards.
- Provides dependents of H1B visa holders work authorization, and children are prevented from "aging out" of the system.
- The bill protects workers who are victims of workplace retaliation from deportation in order to allow labor organizations to interview these workers. It also protects migrant and seasonal workers and increases penalties for employers who violate labor laws.
- Address "root causes" of migration and reform refugee and asylum systems.
- It also creates safe and legal channels for people to seek protections by creating Designated Processing Centers throughout Central America to register and process displaced persons for refugee resettlement and other lawful migration avenues.
- The bill also re-institutes the Central American Minors program to reunite children with U.S. relatives and creates a Central American Family Reunification Parole Program to more quickly reunite families with approved family sponsorship petitions.
- The bill supports asylum seekers by eliminating the one-year deadline for filing claims and provides funding to reduce backlogs. It increases protections for U visas, T visas, and VAWA applicants, including by raising the caps on U visas from 10,000 to 30,000. The bill also expands protections for foreign nationals assisting U.S. troops.
- New security measures to improve border enforcement.
- The bill increases funding for border security and enforcement.
We recommend calling your Immigration Attorney to discuss the possible changes, and what steps should be taken in preparation, such as documentation showing physical presence in the United States, payment of taxes, good moral character, etc. For further assistance, please contact Carlos E. Sandoval, Attorney at Law at our office at 954-306-6921.
About Carlos E. Sandoval, Attorney at Law
Carlos E. Sandoval is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association, and the Broward County Bar Association. Carlos, who speaks fluent English and Spanish, is licensed to practice law by the Florida Supreme Court and the Federal Court for the Southern and Central Districts of Florida. He focuses his practice in all areas of immigration, employment law and bankruptcy. For more information or a consultation, call (954) 306-6921, or visit http://www.carlosesandoval.com.
SOURCE: Carlos E. Sandoval