Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but I’ve been in immigration law for 25 years. With every new President or Congress, there are always those that think “this one will be different.” When it comes to immigration law, “different” is variable. No matter who is POTUS, immigration law is very challenging. I’ve been through five presidential administrations, and the roller coaster ride never stops. There is always change in the laws, frequently making it harder, or occasional “dreams” like DACA that seem too good to be true, only to be stopped and started again.
Good News For Immigrants in the United States. New laws under Biden mean a return to pre-Trump days in terms of prosecutorial discretion. Immigration officers once again have the power to prioritize through assessment of cases. The Trump administration passed three executive orders that essentially made everyone who is an undocumented immigrant a priority for deportation, as well as rescinding most of the guidelines that were being used for prosecutorial discretion. That policy meant that everyone was considered at risk for removal, and made it more difficult who should be up for deportation or removal…
In the whirlwind of change that has marked the beginning of the Biden administration, ICE has received some changes to their guidelines for removal / deportation that have been effective as of February 18, and put forth with very little fanfare. These changes are in effect until “Secretary Mayorkas issues new enforcement guidelines. The Secretary has informed me that he will issue new guidelines only after consultation with the leadership and workforce of ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other Department of Homeland Security agencies and offices…
Still Waiting for the DREAM to become REALITY: This is my 25th year as an immigration lawyer — and we are focused on Dreamers and DACA. It was recently announced that Senator Durbin and Senator Graham have proposed a bipartisan Dream act for 2021. What’s notable about this is that 20 years ago, Senator Durbin with then-Senator Hatch did…
As we enter the era of the Biden administration, many people are feeling optimistic about immigration over the next four years. So much so that as we speak there are 6000 Honduran immigrants at the border of Guatemala hoping to enter the US for a better chance in the land of the free.
