If you’re easily confused by America’s immigration laws, you’re not alone. Immigration has been a hot button topic for decades, which means that immigration laws and the federal government’s approach to those laws seems to be in a constant state of flux. With a new administration taking office, it looks like that inconsistency will continue, but with a shift of focus toward protecting immigrants and broadening the law to make immigration easier.
Proposed changes to immigration law
President Biden has already signed a number of executive orders aimed at loosening restriction on travel between other countries and to support those who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). However, President Biden has also suggested a number of sweeping changes to existing immigration law.
Amongst those proposed changes is a new pathway to citizenship for those who are currently undocumented. The proposed law would allow these individuals to achieve permanent resident status within five years, and then citizenship three years after that. The administration has said that some DACA recipients and others with strong ties to America would receive an expedited route to citizenship.
As major as that proposed change could be, it’s not the only modification President Biden hopes to make. He has also suggested eliminating caps on the number of visas that can be issued to each country, eliminating bars on application periods for green card holders who left the country after being here on an unauthorized basis, and expediting the green card process for spouses and children of those immigrants with an H-1B visa.
Know how to navigate complex immigration laws to your advantage
We want to reiterate that these changes discussed above are only proposed at this point and have not been passed into law. However, they highlight the complexities of the current law and why it’s important that you know the ins and outs of where the law stands to better your position on immigration. So, if you have question or concerns about your own immigration status or that of a loved one, then it might be best to sit down with an experienced legal professional who can help you take the steps needed to achieve the protection desired.
