US Immigration News

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the expansion of premium processing to include the US E3 visa, which is issued exclusively to citizens of Australia. As of February 24, USCIS allowed E3 visa applicants to request premium processing. The announcement is a welcome surprise.

 

Joe Biden has lifted the controversial US work visa ban imposed under the Trump administration. The 46th US President said: “It does not advance the interests of the United States.” Trump ordered a ban on US employment-based visas (green cards) shortly after the coronavirus outbreak, on the grounds that it would protect the American workforce.

 

Outspoken congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) has demanded that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) be abolished. AOC’s outburst comes after she blasted the Biden administration for reopening a Trump-era ‘temporary influx center’ for unaccompanied minors in Texas. 

 

A controversial Trump-era US immigration policy is set to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. The public charge rule blocks immigrants from securing legal permanent residency in the United States if they are likely to rely on state benefits such as food stamps. The rule was brought back into effect in November 2020 having been blocked by a Chicago judge.

 

US visas granted under the 2020 Diversity Visa lottery have been extended following a federal judge’s ruling. Winners from the 2020 Diversity Visa lottery have been embroiled in a legal battle challenging a Trump-era policy that prevents them from entering the US. District Judge Amit Mehta ordered visas to be extended by a further six months.

 

Joe Biden’s much anticipated US immigration bill was presented to Congress recently, with the White House pushing for a string of reforms. Among some of the proposals are plans to eliminate US visa backlogs and increase the per country quota for green cards. The bill was introduced by Senator Bob Menendez and representative Linda Sanchez.