The Senate confirms Ur Jaddou as the new USCIS director

Who is Ur Jaddou?

Ur Jaddou was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the director of the USCIS in a 47-34 vote of approval. Ms. Jaddou is a California native who is the daughter of Mexican and Iraqi immigrants. During the Obama administration, Jaddou served as chief counsel for the USCIS and led the recent Biden-Harris DHS transition review team. She is now the first woman to lead the USCIS as director.

In a statement released by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Jaddou was praised as having, “two decades of experience in immigration law, policy and administration.” Mayjorkas went on to promise that Jaddou will “administer our Nation’s immigration system fairly and justly”. Before joining the USCIS, Jaddou served as deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of State and as chief counsel to the House Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Subcommittee.

What does the USCIS do?

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plays an integral part in the U.S.’s immigration system. USCIS officers oversee visa applications, issue work permits and green cards, conduct initial asylum screenings, and oversees the process for U.S. naturalizations. The USCIS is run and operated on the fees that it charges with its immigration applications.

What does this mean for the USCIS?

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not had a Senate-confirmed leader in more than two years when L. Francis Cissna, who was appointed by President Trump, left the position in 2019. Since Cissna’s departure, the USCIS lead position has been filled by directors who sought to restrict immigration, particularly to those who wish to claim asylum at the border.

Since Biden has taken office, the U.S. immigration policy has changed drastically from restrictive to a more welcoming atmosphere for immigrants. Policies designed to reduce immigration are now in the process of being reversed. Some of the changes now being made by the Biden Administration are pushes for U.S. citizenship amongst green card holders, the reversal of discriminatory green card requirements such as ‘wealth tests’, and the introduction of plans to create a ‘fair’ and ‘orderly’ asylum process where asylum officers can authorize claims for those arriving at the U.S.’s southern border with Mexico.

Furthermore, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Jaddou’s experience with working for the USCIS as critical to helping stabilize USCIS’s recent financial problems and help reduce significant backlogs which could cut down the processing waiting time substantially.

What can IAS do for me?

It can be difficult to navigate the complex world of the U.S. immigration system especially now with all of the new policy changes. However, our team of experienced immigration attorneys keeps up to date with all the latest changes. We can help guide and advise you on your eligibility, help you put together a thorough visa application, and help you every step of the way.

For more information about how our US immigration attorneys can help you, don’t hesitate to get in touch today by calling +1 844 290 6312.