Current administration has been making swift and sweeping changes to the US immigration system during the pandemic. The pandemic is being used as a pretext to enact immigration restrictions and harsh policies that had struggle to gain momentum prior to the public health crisis.
Following are some of the ways administration has pushed anti-immigrant policies using COVID pandemic crisis
- Banned travel from China (January 31), Iran (February 29), some European countries (March 12) and Brazil (May 24)
- Closed many immigration courts and postponed hearings (March 17)
- Closed USCIS Offices and cancelled citizenship ceremonies (March 17)
- Paused all refugee resettlement in the US (March 18)
- Used a public health law to turn back thousands of migrants seeking asylum at the US Mexico border (March 20)
- Closed the borders to non-essential travel (March 21)
- Postponed hearings for thousands of migrants waiting in Mexico to seek asylum (March 23)
- Threatened to impose visa sanctions on countries that don’t accept US deportations (April 10)
- Suspended new green card applications from abroad (April 22)
- Blocked thousands of guest worker visas until at least the end of the year (June 22)
- Wanted that due to budget shortfalls immigration will have to furlough thousands of employees (June 25)
- Ordered foreign students could face deportation if they are attending universities offering only online courses due to COVID-19 (July 6)
- Proposed a sweeping new regulation that would block asylum seekers on public health grounds (July 8)
If you or someone you know have been impacted by these policy changes, contact our office today.