There has been speculation that the Trump administration is intending to re-institute the Travel Ban from his first tenure which prevented travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the US and which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. On March 5, 2025, Reuters reported three anonymous sources had come forward with the news that as soon as next week, based on Trump’s executive order requiring intensified security vetting and identifying security risks per country, a new travel ban could bar people from Afghanistan and Pakistan from entering the US. The New York Times (“Times”) is reporting that this time around, this travel ban would be broader in scope.
Read moreA New Trump Travel Ban May be Imminent
US Gold Card for US Permanent Residency Plus
As undocumented individuals with and without criminal backgrounds are being deported from the US daily, President Trump announced on February 25th that he will introduce a new visa program catering to high-net-worth individuals “somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication” to live permanently in the US for payment of five million dollars. Hailed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as the “Trump Gold Card”, Trump announced his plan to buy into the road to US citizenship to reporters in the oval office and expanded on his plan during a cabinet meeting on the 26th.
Read moreThe First Two Weeks in Office: Trump’s Anti-immigration Actions
President Donald J. Trump’s first day in office on January 20th, 2025, was sealed by his passing forty-six presidential actions in line with “President Trump’s America First Priorities”. Keeping in line with his campaign promises to eliminate illegal immigration many of his executive orders are targeted at immigration. A few hours into his second term President Trump suspended US asylum, along with refugee, and other humanitarian programs. He also increased security screening of all foreign nationals seeking entry to the US and continued with his campaign to limit birthright citizenship. Let’s examine a few of Trump’s mandates that affect our communities.
Read moreThe H-1B Visa Program is Dividing MAGA
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who until a few days ago were co-leaders of President-elect Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) recently ruffled feathers amongst Trump’s MAGA supporters when Ramaswamy and Musk tweeted their support for the H1B program. In a surprising turn of events after having moved to limit H-1Bs during his first term, Trump responded by applauding the program, noting “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It's a great program.”
Read moreDHS Publishes H-1B Modernization Final Rule to Improve Program Integrity and Efficiency
On December 18, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) published a Final rule in the Federal Register modernizing and increasing the efficiency of the H-1B program, adding benefits and flexibilities, and improving integrity measures. This rule will become effective January 17, 2025.
The final rule imposes changes to the H-1B program and codifies a number of existing rules. We must point out that the final rule is quite lengthy; therefore, our summary does not cover all of the changes. We have outlined a few of the most notable updates and changes below which we feel may be of most interest to our community.
Read moreThe New York Times: “Colleges Warn Foreign Students to Get to Campus Before Trump Takes Office”
Ahead of President Trump’s upcoming inauguration on January 20, 2025, some universities, including Harvard, USC, and Cornell are advising their international student body to prepare to return to campus from their winter breaks before Trump is sworn in to office. The warnings are a result of Trump’s expressed desire to reimpose a travel ban previously instituted during his first term as President and ended by President Biden when he took office.
Read moreThe Fabric of America
Recent Ruling puts DACA in Jeopardy (Again)
On September 13, 2023, the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that the Biden Administration’s codification of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) is not legal. The ruling does not prevent DACA beneficiaries enrolled in the program prior to July 16, 2021, to renew their status. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will also continue to accept new applications from first-time, would-be DACA recipients; However, they will not process any new applications.
Read moreA Child’s Perspective on Immigration Reform: “Until Someone Listens”
Having her family fall victim to the Trump Administration’s “zero tolerance” policy, which criminally prosecuted immigrants that crossed the US border without documentation and separated families as a consequence, Estela Juarez has written a children’s book with the help of Lissette Norman and illustrator Teresa Martin, titled “Until Someone Listens.” The book offers a personal account of Estela’s story of loss and lack of protection under our current immigration system, in the hopes that all who read will listen to the pressing need for immigration reform.
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