The Trump Administration has made many changes to the legal immigration system that will take effect in 2020. These changes will impact the lives of millions of legal immigrants already living in the United States. This Miami Herald news article listed five that they feel will affect legal immigrant’s lives the most!
Here are the five changes highlighted by the article:
Six House Democrats, all Chairman or Vice Chairs of relative congressional committees have sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, the Acting Commissioner of the CBP, Mark Morgan and Port Director, Kenneth Williams demanding to know why 200 Iranian-Americans were delayed for up to 12 hours at the Canadian border over the first weekend of 2020.
The letter sent to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), stated, “Many impacted individuals were U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, including seniors and children,”. The letter goes on to state, “CBP held a family of four U.S. citizens of Iranian descent – who were pre-screened for expedited processing as Nexus pass holder – for nearly five hours.” All the delays in question were at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, Washington!
For further details please review The Hill news article, “House Dems demand answers regarding holding of Iranian-Americans at border”.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced the start of a Pilot Program to collect DNA from certain individuals taken into their custody in two locations. The two locations selected for the 90-day Pilot Program are:
The USCIS web site has a Virtual Assistant to help you with USCIS site specific searches. “Emma” is the name of the Virtual Assistant and she is located in the upper right corner of the USCIS website, right beside the normal search function.
Emma can answer your questions and even take you right to what you are looking for. Just click, “Ask a Question” or Emma’s picture and a text box will appear. Next, type in your question and hit the “Send” button to get your results.
USCIS has released a new YouTube video documentary entitled, “USCIS and the Legacy of Ellis Island”. This documentary describes the operational history of USCIS at Ellis Island and is told from their employees’ point of view!
Ellis Island operated as the nations’ busiest Immigration inspection station from 1892 until 1954. They processed over 12 million immigrants in its 62 years of operation.
For a more detailed history of Ellis Island view the following:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing using facial-recognition technology at all points of entrance and exit from the United States, including on U.S. citizens. DHS has proposed changing regulations to allow them to do just that. Facial recognition technology matches an image of a person from a photo or video with a still image of them in a database.
Michael Hardin, director of exit/entry policy for DHS, stated that the rule was in the “final stages of clearance.” If the rule is approved, it would have to be published for public comments for a period.
For further details please review the CNN News Article, “Homeland Security wants to use facial recognition on traveling US citizens, too”.
USCIS announced November 12th on their Twitter Account (@USCIS) that they are looking for help shaping the future design and features of their official web site. How can you help? USCIS is looking for users to register for Website Feature Testing using the following link to their web page, “Help Us Test Website Features”. After submitting your email address, a new window will indicate that you have successfully subscribed and that they have received your information. If you want to have an input, here is your chance.
Source of Information:
USCIS Twitter Account – @USCIS / November 12, 2019 at 11:45am: Help Us Test Website Features
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has provided FY2019 statistics (Fourth Quarter) in the form of program factsheets for each of the major immigration programs. These updated FY2019 statistics (Fourth Quarter) covers July 2019 through September 2019.
The link to each FY2019 (Fourth Quarter) program factsheets is listed below:
• Permanent Labor Certification Program – Select Statistics
Six couples have joined a class action suit against the USCIS for allegedly luring them to marriage interviews but when they arrive the immigrant spouse were detained for deportation. A couple from Baltimore, Alyse and Elmer Sanchez arrived for their marriage interview when moments later Elmer was detained and taken away. Alyse Sanchez stated, “We feel it was a trap, a trick, to get us there,”.
For further details please review the SFGate News Article, “Suit says feds using immigration marriage interviews as trap”.
Source of Information:
Several Hispanic Americans tell the story of their heritage. They reflect on immigration, culture, and their identity. The first story is about Julián Castro and the American Dream.
For further details please review the CBS News Article, ““There is a story to my heritage”: Hispanic Americans reflect on immigration, culture, and identity”.
National Hispanic Heritage Month was Celebrated from September 15th – October 15th.
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