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Changes to the U.S. Immigration System During COVID-19 Pandemic
The term “social distance” is a term we are seeing everywhere now. Most of us have never experienced what we are experiencing now in the world and understandably many are scared, anxious, and nervous. I cannot think of one industry that has not been affected by this. Below is a summary of how our U.S. immigration agencies, systems, and procedures have been impacted. This is a rapidly changing situation so I will continue to monitor it. As of March 18, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has put a hold on routine in-person services at least until May 3, 2020, to help slow the spread. These in-person services include…
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The Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Impact on U.S. Immigration
The coronavirus has been a top news story for the past several weeks, and it has had an impact on many things such as travel, people buying supplies in anticipation of having to be quarantined that would keep them from work and school, shortage of masks, the impact on the economy, and many more things. It has also had an impact on U.S. immigration. This week, the local Seattle USCIS office (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) closed because an employee had visited a family member at the Life Care Facility in Kirkland, WA, where there was a coronavirus outbreak. That closure affects cases that are being processed at that office…
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The Takeover of the House of Representatives by the Democrats: What This Could Mean for U.S. Immigration
The results are in and the Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives while the Republicans still control the Senate. What does this mean for the President’s immigration plans? The Democrats will likely try to thwart the President’s efforts to enact the immigration changes he has promised. What I see happening is more gridlock and immigration reform will be a battle in Congress. Any real reform is yet to be seen. However, Democrats can try to limit the President’s immigration plans through the budgeting process, such as fighting to fund the controversial border wall and also limiting his other immigration plans. Here is an article from USA Today…