(Citizen Free Press) — President-elect Joe Biden will begin his term by implementing a series of executive actions on immigration, moving swiftly to undo many policies of the Trump administration.
Biden outlined an ambitious election campaign immigration agenda that would reverse the actions of his predecessor, promising, for example, to introduce comprehensive immigration legislation and maintain programs that provide relief to immigrants living in the United States.
While some changes can be pushed through executive action this week, other changes in immigration policy will take longer, which Biden has acknowledged.
“It is a question of what will be done, and it will be done quickly, but it will not be possible to do the first day, remove all the restrictions that exist … and suddenly discover that we have a crisis in our hands that complicates what we are trying to do” he said in December.
Will there be immigration reform with Joe Biden? 1:40
One of those actions is sending Congress an immigration bill that provides a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the United States, modernizes the immigration system, invests in border technology and provides aid to Central America, according to incoming officials. of the White House.
These are the actions Biden plans to take on the first day:
Preserve DACA
The Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (known as DACA) program, which protects undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children from deportation, has been in limbo since President Donald Trump tried to end him in 2017.
While the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s attempt to end DACA, his administration continued to try to limit the program.
Biden will sign a presidential memorandum instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to take steps to preserve the program. Biden’s proposed immigration legislation will include an immediate path to citizenship for program beneficiaries.
Reverse travel ban from predominantly Muslim countries
Trump began his presidency by signing a hastily drafted presidential decree that restricts entry to the US from predominantly Muslim countries. Biden will revoke those prohibitions.
It will also instruct the State Department to restart visa processing for affected countries and call for a review of other “extreme investigative” practices of the Trump administration.
Biden’s immigration bill includes a provision that would limit the presidential authority to issue future bans.
Revoke Trump’s order that excludes non-citizens from the Census count
Trump signed a presidential memorandum last year that would exclude undocumented immigrants by dividing seats in the House of Representatives between states. Biden will sign a presidential decree reversing Trump’s orders and will commit to presenting Congress with a distribution that is “fair and accurate.”
Stop construction of the border wall
Biden plans to end the national emergency declaration that allowed Trump to tap into additional funding for his border wall and will halt wall construction projects until further review.
Extending relief for Liberians
Biden will sign a presidential memorandum extending Deferred Forced Departure, a form of relief for people from countries facing unrest or natural disasters, until June 30, 2022, for Liberians residing in the United States.
Submit comprehensive immigration legislation to Congress
The bill would provide an immediate path to citizenship for farmworkers, DACA recipients, and holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). It outlines a plan for undocumented immigrants that would allow them to eventually apply for green cards if they pass background checks and pay taxes.
The bill also aims to eliminate visa delays, improve immigration courts, and authorize funding for border technology, as well as provide $ 4 billion in funding to increase assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and establish safe and legal channels for migrants to seek protection.