With the recent change of administration in Washington, a significant number orders, policies, and legislative reforms relating to immigrants and refugees have been signed, instituted, or otherwise proposed. Much of the Biden administration’s work and focus in these first weeks seems to be centered on undoing or suspending policies and rules the Trump administration had engaged over four years. They range from taking new, symbolic and policy actions (e.g., suspending the construction of the wall, resetting the ceiling for refugee admissions, ensuring census count), to initiating the review and revision of previous policies (e.g., family separation, asylum at the border, Central American refugees), to ensuring fair and humane immigration processes and enforcement (e.g., prosecutorial discretion, limiting interior enforcement), to protecting particular populations and groups (e.g., DACA, Liberian DED, public charge, travel ban), and more.
There has also been a substantial legislative reform proposal, called
the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, which would fundamentally reform
the immigration system as well as other smaller bills (the Dream and Promise Act, the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act). With so many changes—actual or proposed—there likely will be confusion within our communities. Change creates opportunity and hope, and with those, increased fraud or poor representation by attorneys and notarios, who will target communities with misinformation and rumors about how to remain in the United States. There are people who will try to take advantage of these changes to defraud immigrants. The wrong “help” can be harmful.
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Immigration Lawyer Julia Ponce Vega