ukmd

Sorry if this is a repeat but am kind of curious what people feel will be the new changes to immigration policy under Biden. He seems to want to expand visas and green cards etc eliminating backlogs etc etc but my big caveat to that is as a VP for 8 years they did nothing about legal migration so why suddenly now the change of heart?

Am a UK born ethnic minority person so am fortunate that the path to green card for Doctors like myself is pretty straightforward given its a shortage occupation and Covid etc etc but if I was born in India then the wait for a GC would be several decades is that fair?

There was a lot of abuse of the H1b program by Indian IT companies mainly and Trump rightly cracked down on this. Will Biden simply allow this to go back to what it was? The whole employer-vendor model that Indian Consulting companies exploited to the max was incredible.

Again big caveat if Biden doesnt get the Senate then his chance to pass major legislation change on immigration will be limited

Grateful for opinions?

Glasgow Girl

My two cents is that unless the Democrats win the Senate nothing much will change at all in the next two years. If the Democrats do win the Senate then he will likely focus upon the Dreamers for his immigration reform. As for being fair, the system is designed to aid US interests not to be fair to the rest of the World.

livinginnyc

^^ This. 100%

Rete

Why does it have to be fair to the rest of the world at the exclusion of what the US interests are?

There are policies in place. We used them and so should everyone else IMHO.

scrubbedexpat099

With the focus on Diversity making the EB category effectively Indian only for many many years seems contra logical.

neill

Nothing will change regarding legal immigration. The Democrats have made making illegal immgrants "more legal" their priority. At least the Republicans were willing to visit legal immigration and replace it with something more resembling the Aus system (points-based).

There is/was a bill to help the Indians stuck on H-1Bs forever but that will probably go nowhere as for one thing - it would be at the expense of non-Indian employment-based immigrants.

civilservant

As others have said, the Grim Reaper will kill any immigration reform in the Senate. I am of the firm belief as a GA resident myself that the Senate will be 51-49. Warnock will beat Leoffler, but Perdue will beat Ossoff.

2 more years of gridlock, at least.

Glasgow Girl

I could not agree more. I think you misunderstood my comment.

Glasgow Girl

I think a balanced government is better than 100% for one party, whoever that may be. Eventually they may learn to compromise and that is what is needed on both sides. Might take a while though........hopefully in my lifetime!

steph0scope

Everything is speculation at this stage. For now, it’s “business as usual” until any changes are either passed by the senate or he introduces a presidential proclamation.

Let’s see what he does with student loan debt first. That’s a much smaller thing to deal with than immigration reform and if he backtracks on that I don’t see any huge changes to immigration coming into play.

ukmd

Interesting stance but am curious how the system aids US interests especially the 7% limit per country for Employment based green cards. Only in the past 15 years has this shut out Indians and the rule was formulated in the 60s if I recall so am slightly curious how making this particular nationality wait forever helps them given the rule was created decades before.

Also the whole concept of family sponsorship seems pretty unique in the Western world. Being able to sponsor siblings and parents at will with no limits or caps beyond the numerical green card limits with no reference to their skills and qualifications or co-morbidities with parents etc how does that suit US interests??

Glasgow Girl

If the limit of 7% per country hurts US interests they will change that. So for the moment it would seem that there are enough other nationalities to meet what is perceived to be the need.

I personally agree that family sponsorship does not help US interests. Trump did try to change that.

username.exe

I wonder to what extent the Dems may make concessions based on getting a deal done on DACA? Is that even remotely feasible?
If not Biden will probably expand and re-invigorate the program under Executive Order.

penguinsix

I think H1-B reform is coming regardless of who wins what. There is bipartisan demand for reform.

DACA is a priority as well, but I think that will come at a cost of some horse trading.

However, I don’t think immigration reform in the middle of an economic downturn and pandemic is a major ‘first year’ priority for anyone in D.C.

TexanScot

I think we'll find out in a few weeks after the Senate runoff elections in Georgia.