The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Trump's 5 Most Important Immigration Measures of 2020 and How to Address Them According to an Immigration Attorney

2020-12-28T18:22:42.491Z


Alma Rosa Nieto analyzes the five most important news on immigration issues and clarifies doubts for people who are going to apply for some naturalization or residency procedures in 2021.


In his four years in office, the president, 

Donald Trump, adopted hundreds of measures that progressively tightened restrictions on migration and asylum

, in addition to making the persecution of undocumented migrants one of the main axes of his policies.

Those guidelines effectively sealed the border for asylum seekers and made legal immigration applications as well as work permits difficult.

However,

President-elect Joe Biden promised to reverse these and other border policies

in order to guarantee and expedite immigration processes, although he has also warned that this will not happen overnight.

Our lawyer Alma Rosa Nieto, a migration specialist, analyzes the most important news on migration issues of 2020.

The Government extends TPS for immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua until October 2021

Dec. 8, 202001: 52

1.-Extension of TPS

The extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the beneficiaries of El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras and Nepal, for nine months, means that all these people have an automatic extension of their work permit until October 4 of 2021.

“There is no need to submit an application, there is no need to request another work permit.

Go to the USCIS website and there you can find information to give to your boss or employer if they ask for an extension of your work permit, ”says Nieto.

The attorney emphasizes that youth who are eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, should apply as soon as possible.

To do so, they must be at least 15 years old and must have arrived

in the United States

since June 2007

.

“Start collecting evidence.

There are 13 years or more of proof that they have been in the country and they will also be able to request the special travel permit (advance parole) which is an authorization to leave and re-enter the country ”, asserts the expert.

A federal judge blocks the Trump Administration's public charge rule

Nov. 2, 202002: 01

2.-New definition of public charge

Although a federal judge stopped the implementation of the new definition of public charge, its effects are evident in the migrant population whose participation in government assistance programs has decreased considerably, according to a recent analysis by the Institute for Migration Policy.

“If before the requirements to see if a person had the tendency to be a public charge were numerous, in 2020 they are much higher.

So a lot of advice is recommended,

do not disqualify yourself thinking that you are already a public charge because you received some money in the past

, take advice because it is very important, ”explains Nieto.

The lawyer comments that, if due to the pandemic, someone receives a stimulus check or medical assistance for the treatment of COVID, or for its detection, that does not qualify as a public charge.

"They can be calm

if they are doing a residency procedure, they are not affected by the help they may receive due to COVID

, the pandemic and the stimulus check," he warns.

What should dreamers do if their DACA expires?

Attorney Alma Rosa Nieto explains it

Dec. 24, 202002: 27

3.-Immigration during the coronavirus

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many operational changes occurred in various instances of the US government.

It was the case of immigration offices that canceled fingerprint appointments, and citizenship, permanent residence appointments within the United States were also suspended.

In addition, US embassies and consulates closed except for emergencies.

“We are waiting for [those offices] to reopen soon.

USCIS has started giving new appointments, so

if you were on hold or had an appointment and they canceled it, at the end of 2020 and early 2021 they will reactivate immigration appointments,

”says Nieto.

The test to obtain citizenship will be much more demanding

Dec. 2, 202002: 07

4.-Changes in the citizenship test

As of December 1, a new citizenship test in the United States began to be applied.

Now the questionnaire is longer than in the previous version, it has 127 questions instead of 100

, and it is more demanding.

Officers will ask applicants 20 questions (previously 10) and, to pass, they must correctly answer at least 12 questions.

“Do not be alarmed or discouraged or let fear overcome you and do not apply to become naturalized.

Any resident who is eligible should try it, the exam is more difficult and maybe that will change in 2021 under a new Administration ”, explains the lawyer.

In addition, Nieto recalls that people over 65 years of age and with more than two decades of residence in the country will be able to take the exam entirely in Spanish and it will be a simpler test that has not changed.

5.-Increase in immigration fees

2020 also brought economic changes in the immigration industry, for example, immigration fees rose substantially.

In some cases, up to 80%, for example, is the case of citizenship, which is the N-400 form.

However, a court blocked the increase in those rates and for now they are frozen.

"If you had contemplated entering an immigration application to renew a work permit, to apply for citizenship, residence or renew your residence card, do so now because we do not know when they will rise again and it will be a substantial increase," warns the lawyer .

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2020-12-28

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.