US Immigration News

Earlier this month it was announced that more Venezuelan officials, accused of human rights infringements and corruption are to be denied US visas further increasing tensions between the two Countries.

The US and Venezuela have been on bad terms for some time. About a year ago Venezuela expelled three US diplomats from the American Embassy in Venezuela, leaving it understaffed according to US officials. In retaliation the US did the same to Venezuelan diplomats in the US.

Immigration reform, rather than harsh enforcement bills. That's the message from the Catholic Bishop of Tuscan, Arizona, Gerald Kicanas.

In his testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, on behalf of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration, Bishop Kicanas put forward his opposition to three enforcement-only bills.

From 2009 to 2014, the US government granted 5.46 million work permits to those on non- immigrant visas or those illegally in the US according to a new report published by a conservative think-tank "The Center for Immigration Studies" (CIS). Many of these work permits were granted to people who entered on F-1 student visas and as visitors on B-1/B2 visas.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre well known for bringing legal proceedings against "hate groups" had the following to say about CIS:

A new report from the Institute of International Education (IIE) confirms that record numbers of overseas students now study in America at US universities. The total number of US student visa holders for the year 2013-2014 was 886,052.

Obama told Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, that his administration will try to deal with Indian concerns about L1 and H1B visa, following a recent visit to India.

US officials have since confirmed that they will consider India's concerns as part of Obama's widespread immigration reforms.

Ben Rhodes, US Deputy National Security Advisor, told reporters travelling with Obama's entourage that: "I think what the President indicated is that these are the types of issues that we have approached through the context of comprehensive immigration reform.

Many of the headlines in recent weeks have been dominated by opposition by many in the Republican Party to President Barack Obama's immigration reforms which are mainly aimed at helping the millions of undocumented Hispanic migrants in the US. Obama's reforms should mean that these migrants will more easily be able to integrate into US society.