2016 border arrests rise spurred by Central America
The 23 percent increase in the arrests made by the U.S. Border Patrol agents during Fiscal Year 2016 is due to the increase in the number of Central American immigrants attempting to gain illegal entry into the U.S. Reports from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) show that these immigrants are not trying to avoid capture but are willing to surrender to border agents and are claiming asylum in America.
Over 2000 undocumented immigrants freed by sanctuary cities
Though the Obama administration took significant steps to cut down sanctuary cities and also freed many such cities, there are still 279 municipalities that are still holding such sanctuary cities. According to officials from DHS, more than 2000 undocumented immigrants, who should have been handed to federal immigration authorities, have been released by sanctuary cities during the 2016 fiscal year.
FAIR proposes Trump immigration plan
Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has outlined the immigration reform laws that the Trump administration is likely to take once Donald Trump assumes Presidency. Read more.
Green cards now easier to get
People with advanced degrees and who have an exceptional ability are given a National Interest Waiver for EB-2 green cards. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has now liberalized the tests people in this category will need to take to get green cards.
Trump wants border barriers agency records
President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team inquired the DHS about the agency’s capacity to expand immigration detentions. The team has also asked the DHS to assess all the resources available for the construction of a border wall and barriers.
Dreamer data should not be used for deportations
Secretary of DHS, Jeh Johnson, said that the data DREAMers provided in their applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) must not be used by federal authorities to deport them. He said that these young immigrants who have applied for DACA are entitled to many protections and that they have been promised that their personal information will not be used against them to deport them.
Appeals court panel examines Texas border security provision
Arguments over the implementation of a part of a sweeping bill regarding border security, signed in 2015 by Governor Greg Abbott, were heard by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. This provision of the bill says that the person is a criminal if they “encourage or induce a person to enter or remain in this country in violation of federal law by concealing, harboring, or shielding that person from detection.”
New H-1B US visa bill introduced in Congress
California Republicans, Scott Peters and Darrell Issa, who want to crack down on the H-1B visa abuse, have come up with a bill seeking changes to the U.S. H-1B visa program. The bill would increase the minimum salary requirements of H-1B visa to $100,000 per annum. Issa says that this bill would make sure U.S. companies don’t hire cheap foreign workers and ensure that the U.S. retains only the best.
