Among the executive actions issued by President Biden on his first day in office are five making changes to Trump administration immigration policies. These range from preserving deferral action for childhood arrivals (“the dreamers”) to ending discriminatory bans on entry.
Immigration and Borders
- PROCLAMATION Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States
- EXECUTIVE ORDER Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities
- PROCLAMATION Termination of Emergency with Respect to The Southern Border of The United States and Redirection of Funds Diverted to Border Wall Constructiion
- MEMORANDUMReinstating Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians
- MEMORANDUM Preserving and Fortifying Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
On January 20, the incoming Biden administration released an outline of their comprehensive immigration reform bill, “The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.” According to the outline, the bill provides new pathways to citizenship, reduces employment-related visa backlogs, and makes it easier for STEM graduates from abroad to stay in the U.S. The bill also reforms border controls and improves the function of the courts. MEMA staff will review when legislative language becomes available. An outline can be found here.
