Throughout the Trump administration, our immigration system was under assault by Trump’s misguided policies. From baring immigrants from Muslim-majority countries to wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on an ineffective border wall that grew to represent racism and bigotry more than sound policy. However, the incoming Biden administration is expected to address many immigration policies and reverse most, if not all, of Trump’s controversial orders. According to the official Joe Biden website page on immigration, “As president, Biden will forcefully pursue policies that safeguard our security, provide a fair and just system that helps to grow and enhance our economy, and secure our cherished values.” President-Elect Biden’s immediate actions should include:
Hundreds of thousands of young immigrants known as Dreamers have benefited from DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), created in 2012 during the Obama-Biden administration. DACA gave young people protection from deportation and the ability to receive temporary work permits. The actions of the Trump administration in its decision to terminate DACA created turmoil in the lives of millions of Dreamers and their families. According to the official Biden website, the program will be reinstated and the new administration will explore all legal options to protect families from inhumane separation. Biden also plans to ensure Dreamer eligibility for federal student aid to improve access to higher education and their contribution to the economy.
The Trump administration worked against refugees and asylum-seekers by restricting access to asylum in the United States via travel restriction specifically for those coming from Guatemala or Mexico and systematically prosecuting adult asylum seekers for misdemeanor illegal entry into the US. Starting with Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols, the Biden administration plans to end these policies and restore asylum laws meant to protect people fleeing danger and persecution. Further, the Biden administration intends to direct the resources needed to ensure asylum applications are processed efficiently and fairly.
Like most Americans, President-Elect Joe Biden believes that separating parents from their children is inhumane. Biden plans to end the Trump administration’s “Zero Tolerance” policy of family separation, ensure ICE and CBP personnel abide by the rule of law in their treatment of immigrants, and hold both agencies accountable for human rights violations.
The Trump administration created a ban that targets people of Muslim faith or those coming from Muslim-majority countries and prevents them from entering the country. The Biden administration plans to immediately remove the ban, commonly known as the “Muslim ban.”
The Biden administration plans to improve the naturalization process that has been obstructed and derailed under the Trump administration. Since 2016, processing times for naturalization applications have gone from 3-6 months to 18 months or longer, and the filing fee is projected to increase nearly 100%. The Biden administration plans to remove roadblocks to naturalization, address the application backlog, ensure quick application processing, and reject imposing unreasonable fees.
President-Elect Biden believes that the public charge rule is antithetical to American values and our history as a nation of immigrants and refugees. If Biden follows through with reversing this rule, immigrants will no longer be required to pass an income or wealth test prior to obtaining permanent residency.
There are many other changes the Biden administration plans to make when it comes to immigration policy including:
If you have questions or concerns about how you or your family may be affected by the changes to immigration policies under President Biden, feel free to contact Novo Legal. Novo Legal has a team of experienced and compassionate immigration attorneys who are ready to help.