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On February 2, 2021, President Biden signed multiple executive orders to speed along his immigration reforms. The three executive orders pertain to the humanitarian initiatives of the Biden administration that would help families reunite, especially in cases of the U.S. and Mexican border, allowing some asylum seekers that have been stuck in limbo, and streamlining the citizenship process to those afflicted.

Notwithstanding the executive orders, the reform of the U.S. immigration system has been the focal point for both the Trump administration and the newly inaugurated Biden administration. Both camps have had categorically different views toward immigration and inclusion of foreign nationals into the U.S. During his presidential term Donald Trump implemented policies that were considered to be radical and at times so extreme that they were deemed as possible violations to human rights. The Biden administration looks to reverse some of the Trump policies and position the U.S. immigration system in line with the values in which the U.S. was founded.

The introduction of the reform bill U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 was another one of Biden’s actions toward fulfilling his promise of positively reshaping and reforming the U.S. immigration system. Through the reform bill Biden seeks to establish “a new system to responsibly manage and secure our border, keep families and communities safe, and better manage migration across the Hemisphere.” Under the bill a number of provisions have been addressed such as:

• Citizenship for undocumented workers

The bill proposes a creation of a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals. Under the bill undocumented individuals may apply for temporary legal status while working and after 5 years, if they pass the criminal and national test and pay their taxes, may apply for the green card.

After 3 years all green card holders who pass the additional background checks and demonstrate knowledge of English and U.S. civics can apply to become citizens.

• Employment based visas and green cards

The bill aims to clear employment based visa backlogs, recapture unused visas, eliminate lengthy wait times, and increase per-country visa caps .

• Family reunification

The bill aims to reform the family-based immigration system by recapturing unused visas, eliminating lengthy wait times, increasing per-country visa caps and clearing backlogs.

• Worker protection and employment verification

Under the bill workers who are victims of workplace retaliation will be protected from deportation. It further looks to protecting migrant and seasonal workers, and increases penalties for employers who violate labor laws

• Asylum seekers and refugees

Under the bill the one year deadline of filing asylum claims will be eliminated and provides funding to reduce asylum application backlog.

• Border control

The bill suggests supplementing existing border resources with technology infrastructure. The technology will expedite screening and enhance the ability to identify narcotics and other contraband.

The reform bill that has now been sent to Congress for review to be voted on further looks at using legislation to modernize the U.S. immigration system. Through the adjustment of legislation the U.S. will be able to keep up with the current changes in immigration issues and be able to extend its support for the benefit of humanity. While some have criticized the bill as being too focused on the humanitarian perspective at the detriment of the U.S. and its people. Joe Biden states that the reform bill will look at prioritizing, growing and stimulating  the U.S. economy while keeping families together and responsibly managing the border with smart investments.

Thus far Biden has fulfilled the most important promises that he made during his campaign. In his first 100 days he has started the motion to reform the U.S. immigration system through the reversal of the Muslim travel ban, the introduction of the No Ban Act bill and now the reform bill. As the U.S. immigration consultants in Dubai we are excited about these changes that president Biden has started implementing. We have worked in the industry for over 10 years and have seen many changes being implemented in the immigration space. Immigration to the U.S. from Dubai is a popular avenue for families that are looking for the next step to acquiring a better future for multi-generations. As countries such as the United Arab Emirates do not provide citizenship’s, families situated in the Middle East  region want to legally relocate to the U.S. and the prior restrictions have prevented that from occurring.

We are a team of U.S. licensed lawyers who specialize in various U.S. immigration programs assisting families in the GCC region relocate to the U.S. We started our journey in immigration working on the EB-5 immigrant investor program and have thus progressed to the inclusion of the E-2 investor visa and family based visas. Contact us now for more information about immigrating to the U.S.