Immigration news

Britain will pay more than £50 million to France as part of a deal struck to crack down on illegal immigrants crossing the Channel it has emerged. UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, agreed the deal to stem the flow of people making the perilous journey across the Channel to reach UK shores. 8,452 migrants have already made the voyage in 2021, surpassing 2020’s total.

 

The White House is reportedly throwing its support behind an increase in the number of US Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) that can be issued to Afghans who have supported American troops. As US forces withdraw from Afghanistan, there are fears that Afghans who helped American troops will be targeted by the re-emergent Taliban.

 

It’s understood that the Home Office is set to appoint a director general for a newly merged post. A key responsibility for the new appointee will be to lead the final stages of the Home Office’s beleaguered digital borders scheme. 

 

A Texas federal judge has invalidated the DACA US immigration program, meaning the government can no longer approve new applications. US President, Joe Biden, has said that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) plans to appeal the decision. Texas federal judge Andrew Hanen deemed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to be illegal.   

The DACA program prevents the deportation of immigrants who were brought to the US unlawfully as children – also known as ‘Dreamers’.

UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, is set to announce a new five-year work visa for ‘skilled’ refugees fleeing war. The visa will be made available to refugees who can demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fill vacancies in the UK where there is a shortage of workers. It’s understood that the new visa scheme will operate under a strict points-based system.

 

US immigration advocates and the head of a House subcommittee have argued that persistent US visa restrictions and an outdated system are forcing foreign workers to go to other countries, causing a brain drain in America. Others at a recent hearing said workers on H1B, L1 and other employment-based visas are competing, not helping, the US workforce.