Biden makes progress on immigration in his first 100 days, but profound change is missing.
On the first day of his administration, President Joe Biden made several decisions on immigration, including the guidelines of his immigration reform, as well as effective changes: reunification of families, termination of the public charge rule, reversing policies against 'dreamers' and modifying protocols asylum.
The changes have continued since January 20 and just one day after the first 100 days of government, the Biden government and Vice President Kamala Harris , under the actions of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas , took two new e important determinations: avoid raids in or near courts and facilitate the extension of benefits , especially for those who have work visas.
Activists and immigration experts agree that President Biden has taken important steps on immigration issues, trying to reverse the more than 900 changes implemented by the Donald Trump administration , which complicated the processes of immigrants.
However, they recognize that the substantive changes are still pending and, perhaps, will take a long time to become reality, because they depend on Congress, where the reform to grant citizenship to 11 million undocumented immigrants has stalled.
"President Biden has taken significant steps to reverse many of the worst immigration policies left over from the Trump Administration, including the end of the Migrant Protection Protocols," said Austin Kocher, research associate professor at the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. TRAC) from Syracuse University. "Although ultimately reform must go through Congress, the president has the power to set the tone and the policies that can make America more welcoming."
In the same vein as Kocher, Philip Wolgin, Director of Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress (CAP), and Yaritza Méndez, Co-Director of Organization at Make the Road New York , spoke .
Biden also signed several executive orders of immigration to rescind some of the most damaging and cruel policies of the Trump Administration, including the rescission of the discriminatory veto to Muslims and Africans" , emphasized Wolgin.
The expert also highlighted that the Democrat granted TPS to people from Venezuela .
"Which means more than 300,000 people who can now stay in the United States, temporarily, without fear of having to return to the country," he said.
Méndez also highlighted that the American Rescue Plan (ARP) has, in some way, an impact on migrant communities, although it does not directly benefit the undocumented.
"In the first 100 days, the Biden administration has taken some important steps to reverse the damaging policies of the Trump Administration and approved a COVID-19 relief package that provided vital relief to our communities and economy," he acknowledged.
Debt on refugees
Experts agreed that Biden must meet the goal of increasing the number of refugees to more than 60,000, as promised in the campaign.
A couple of weeks ago, the White House confirmed that it was keeping the acceptance levels of these immigrants to the minimum established by President Trump, which unleashed criticism and pressure from civil organizations and led to a response from the president, although justifying that he should "attend the crisis at the border ”, which has become one of its main challenges.
"The initial reluctance of the Biden Administration to raise the refugee limit from its record low of 15,000 was a tremendous disappointment," Kocher said. "He has now agreed that he will raise the limit, but by showing that he is willing to bargain with the lives of refugees, President Biden's commitment to fixing immigration reveals some potential cracks."
Wolgin considered it essential that Biden comply with the claimed commitment on refugees.
Since the administration has now committed to raising the limit by May 15, it will be important to meet that target of 62,500," he said.
Reform and constant migration
Experts agree that reform depends on Congress, but there is pressure that the Biden Administration can exert. In fact, the president expressed being open to integrating a plan on citizenship for the undocumented during the discussion of the American Jobs Plan .
"We urge President Biden and Congress to take swift action to provide a path to citizenship for DACA recipients, TPS holders, essential workers who have risked their lives during the pandemic, and the 11 million undocumented," he said. Mendez.
Added to the challenges for the Democrat are international crises and, at least in what corresponds to Central America, Vice President Harris is preparing a project that addresses the reasons that force people to migrate to the United States.
"Given the challenges America faces today, Biden will have to demonstrate his continued commitment to immigrants as he tries to balance many national and international crises ," Kocher said. "The key will be to continue making significant and substantial improvements and not backtracking for political expediency."
Wolgin emphasized the need to ensure the protection of "dreamers", in the midst of a legal battle and the possibility that Judge Andrew Hanen in Texas will make a decision against DACA, but indicated that asylum processes and care at the border represent another challenge.
It is certainly important to ensure that asylum seekers can make their requests for protection and to ensure that arriving children are treated humanely at the border," he said. "In particular by lifting the Title 42 order at the border that rejects the majority of adult asylum seekers."
Some achievements
>> Create a special team to reunite families
>> Return to original DACA policies
> Push for immigration reform
>> Modify the asylum rules
>> Actions to put together a plan to stop irregular migration from Central America
>> Grant TPS to Venezuelans
>> Change the care of unaccompanied children
>> Modifications in deportations, now focused on national security
>> Suspend arrests in or near courts
>> Facilitate the extension of immigration benefits