Biden Aims to Simplify the US Immigration System

Biden plans to rebuild and expand the immigration system

A document obtained by the New York Times and titled “D.H.S. Plan to Restore Trust in Our Legal Immigration System” has revealed the Biden administrations blueprints for the significant expansion of the legal immigration system.

If Biden’s plans go ahead, moving to the US will soon be a much easier process. The changed would include shorter and simpler application forms as well as more opportunities to join family members in the US and to obtain work visas.

Reversing Trump’s immigration legacy

During his presidency, Donald Trump made many attempts to dismantle the legal immigration system with procedural barriers that made it incredibly difficult to migrate to the US. The former president’s draconian immigration policies meant that the average time it takes to obtain an employer-sponsored green card has doubled. As well as this, the backlog for citizenship applications went up by 80% since 2014 and Approval for the U-visa program, which grants legal status for immigrants willing to help the police, has gone from five months to roughly five years.

Overall, Trump’s impact on immigration during the past 5 years has meant that for the vast majority of people immigrating to the United States has become more complex, expensive and time-consuming.

During his presidential campaign, however, Biden made many promises to reverse these tough immigration policies. This new blue print seems to go for beyond simply undoing Trump’s impact, and will also address backlogs and delays present within the immigration system during previous presidencies.

How does Biden want to change the immigration system?

Biden plans to open up the United States to more immigrants by expanding the opportunities for foreigners to enter the US using legal routes. The plans laid out in the blueprint would help high-skilled workers, trafficking victims, the families of Americans living abroad, American Indians born in Canada, refugees, asylum-seekers and farm workers to move to the USA.

Overseas nationals who make online applications could pay less fees or even secure a waiver in order to make US immigration more accessible.

One of the main elements of the blueprint is addressing the backlogs within the US immigration system. The Biden administration plans to fast-track immigration applications by expanding virtual interviews and online filing and reducing the requests for evidence from applicants.

The plans also include opening up opportunities for asylum for those who face domestic violence as well as for LGBTQ+ refugees who face persecution in their home countries.

Other plans contained in the blueprint include the creation of pathways for overseas entrepreneurs, restoring the existing H-1B visa program for skilled workers and revamping the U-Visa program, which provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who help law enforcement by cooperating with police or testifying in court.