Hundreds of changes to the immigration system

The US administrations tend to reshape the immigration system depending on their ideals, goals and proposals, which makes policies change regularly, and immigrant communities have access to different benefits depending on the president of the nation and his/her team.

One of the administrations that substantially transformed the immigration system was Donald Trump’s (2017-2021). In fact, over four years, former President Trump gave the green light to implement more than 400 changes on immigration policies through all kinds of executive actions, setting a record as the administration that has modified immigration processes the most.

However, to the misfortune of immigrant communities, Trump’s changes to the immigration system were intended to reduce alternatives available for foreigners to come to the US, access different social benefits, become part of the local social fabric, extend their visas or legal permits within the country or request international protection through humanitarian programs.

It is important to clarify that Trump’s restrictive policies on immigration affected multiple communities and populations, from highly skilled foreign workers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, to family members of American citizens and vulnerable populations such as asylum seekers and refugees.

Do you need help with an immigration case of any kind? Contact Motion Law Immigration, schedule a FREE consultation, and follow the advice of our experienced attorneys.

Trump’s actions will have a lasting effect on immigration

Many changes and policies implemented by Trump will have a lasting effect on multiple immigration processes, preventing the current administration, led by President Joe Biden, from moving as quickly as it wants to transform the local immigration system and promote the first comprehensive immigration reform in decades.

In fact, let’s look at some important facts:

1. Delays in immigration processes

In one of our most recent articles, we talked about the current backlog of immigration cases, which exceeds 2 million visa applications. According to official figures, delays in immigration processes increased between 50 and 100 times during the last four years, that is, under the Trump administration.

2. Immigration courts

The Trump administration hired 346 immigration judges, which represents two-thirds of the positions available to immigration judges nationwide. It is also important to clarify that immigration judge positions are usually life-long positions, so it is definitely a lasting impact on the immigration system.

It is worth mentioning that one of the main functions of immigration judges is to review and respond to political asylum requests, and, since the Trump administration clearly hired judges with a rather restrictive opinion regarding immigration, the rejection percentage of political asylum cases has increased considerably.

3. Small changes

The American population and even the Biden administration are focusing heavily on Trump’s prominent changes to the immigration system. However, the Trump administration implemented hundreds of small, almost invisible changes to multiple immigration processes, considerably transforming local policies for certain specific cases.

You can also visit our Blog Section and keep up to date with the latest immigration news.

It is imperative to follow the advice of experts on immigration issues

If you, a family member, or a friend need help with an immigration case, please contact Motion Law today to schedule a FREE Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys. Our team will be happy to guide you through your immigration journey in the US.

Please contact Motion Law Immigration today at: (202) 918-1799.