Coverage of the Intersection Between Immigration Policy and Politics in the United States
Friday, March 5, 2021
Last Updated: on  Friday, March 5, 2021 at 8:00 am EST
Top Stories
All Quiet on Immigration as the full House and Senate Take Week-Long Recess Amidst Limited Committee Activity
Monday, February 15, 2021
There is little scheduled immigration-related legislative activity during the holiday-shortened week as the full House and full Senate stand in recess and the relatively few committees holding hearings and business meetings take a break from immigration- or refugee-related action.
Indeed, the only anticipated migration-related action taking place on Capitol Hill during the week of February 15, 2021, is the likely unveiling by Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA) of the text of "the “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021", immigration reform legislation that was largely put together by the Biden Administration to fulfill the new president's immigration-related campaign promises.
House Panels to Take Up Reconciliation Measures While Senate Conducts Second
​Trump Impeachment Trial
Sunday, February 7, 2021
The House Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled the first of what could be numerous hearings and actions during the 117th Congress on migration matters. while at least three House committees have scheduled markups of legislation that eventually will be packaged into a measure forming President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.'s $1.9 TRILLION COVID-19 relief legislation..
The action that will probably generate the most attention from the news media during the week ahead, though, is the second impeachment trial of former President Donald J. Trump, which is set to begin on Tuesday, February 9.

The most consequential migration-related actions that are taking place in Congress during the coming week may not yet have been officially placed on the week's calendar; Twelve House committees  are required to produce legislation by Tuesday, February 16, that will be packaged into the Biden COVID-19 relief bill.  However,, only three of them were officially scheduled at the time of this writing.  The biggest of them, including one of the two that are most likely to include provisions impacting migration law and policy are yet to be officially scheduled.  Word could come early in the week of when the remaining nine committees will hold their markup sessions.
​
As far as the week beginning February 8, 2021, is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in migration policy, at the time of this writing, the week's legislative schedule includes one hearing (occurring in the House), four business meetings of committees (all occurring in the House) that either have jurisdiction over migration matters or that could produce legislation impacting migration law or policy.
Congress Adopts Budget Blueprint Paving the Way for the Eventual Enactment of a $1.9 TRILLION ​COVID-Relief Bill
Friday, February 5, 2021
The House and Senate completed action today on a fiscal year 2021 budget blueprint that is intended to pave the way for the eventual enactment of a $1.9 TRILLION COVID-19 relief bill.  The Senate acted on the measure in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, February 5, 2021, with the House following hours later.  ​
While the blueprint that Congress adopted did not contain any explicit immigration provisions, it is widely anticipated that the legislation that will result from House and Senate adoption of the budget blueprint will have impacts on immigration policy.

​Friday's congressional action occurred in connection with S. Con. Res. 5, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (Budget Resolution).  The Senate passed the measure by a vote of 51-50, with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote, at about 5:23 am EST on February 5.  The House concurred in the Senate action at about 2:23 pm EST later that day, doing so by a vote of 220-210.
Background.  As introduced in the Senate, the text of S. Con. Res. 5 was almost identical to the text of H. Con. Res. 11, the Fiscal Year 2021 budget resolution, which the House passed on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. 

The measure is a "skinny budget resolution" designed to provide a vehicle for facilitating enactment of a budget reconciliation bill that would be comprised of President Biden's COVID-19 relief proposals.
Congress Poised to Begin FY '21 Budget Process that Could Produce Significant Coronavirus and Immigration-Related Provisions
Sunday, January 31, 2021
After a month spent negotiating committee ratios and assignments, posturing over power sharing arrangements between the two political parties, navigating the second impeachment of an outgoing president, ratifying the election of and then inaugurating a new president, and dodging a violent insurrection,  Congress is set to kick into high legislative gear this week as both the House and Senate take their first steps in producing coronavirus legislation.
While the House and Senate Democratic Leadership intend to use the coming budget action as a vehicle for producing coronavirus legislation, the pro-immigrant advocacy community is hoping to use this week's budget action as a vehicle for enacting immigration reform legislation.

​Away from the Capitol Dome, the Biden Administration is expected to issue a number of immigration-related executive actions during the coming week, including actions reversing Trump-era asylum policies, a plan to reunite migrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, and a plan "to modernize the U.S. immigration system.'
​
As far as the week beginning February 1, 2021, is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in migration policy, the week's legislative schedule includes one hearing (occurring in the House), two business meetings of committees that have jurisdiction over migration matters, and the possibility of three floor actions impacting migration law or policy.
Biden Extends Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians Living in the United States
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Picture
President Biden
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., today directed his Administration to reinstate Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberians living in the United States.   

Today's order was one of six migration-related first-day actions taken by the new president.  This particular one is embodied in a Presidential Memorandum to the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security.  It must be implemented by an order published in the Federal Register, a step that is expected to be completed next week.
The Deferred Enforced Departure program covers around 4,000 Liberians who have lived in the U.S. for many years and for whom returning would be unsafe due to conditions in their country.  President Trump declined to renew Liberian DED.
Biden Issues Proclamation Ending "Immigration Emergency" and ​Halting Construction of ​
​Trump's Border Wall
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Picture
President Biden
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued a proclamation today terminating the emergency with respect to the Southern Border of the United States that was declared by President Trump and redirecting funds that President Trump diverted to border wall construction..  The action, embodied in Presidential Proclamation 10142, was one of six migration-related first-day actions taken by the new president.   This particular one asserts that the national emergency declared by President Trump will no longer be used to construct a wall at the southern border of the United States.
As a technical matter today's Proclamation terminates the emergency declared in President Trump's Presidential Proclamation 9844, and continued in several subsequent actions, is terminated and that the authorites invoked in that proclamation ​
Biden Moves to Undo Trump's Attempts
to ​Rescind DACA
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Picture
President Biden
President Joseph R. Biden moved today to preserve and fortify the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, directing the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to "take all actions he deems appropriate, consistent with applicable law, to preserve and fortify DACA."  The action, embodied in a Presidential Memorandum  was one of six migration-related actions taken by the new president on his first day in office.
The Presidential Memorandum commends the DACA program, asserting the persons who have been protected by it "were brought to the United States as children, have obeyed the law, and stayed in school or enlisted in the military."   Continuing, it asserts that "DACA reflects a judgment that these immigrants should not be a priority for removal based on humanitarian concerns and other considerations, and that work authorization will enable them to support themselves and their families, and to contribute to our economy, while they remain. ​
Biden Issues Order Reversing Several Key Trump Administration Civil Immigration
​Enforcement Priorities
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Picture
President Biden
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued an executive order today reversing a number of civil immigration enforcement policies put into place by former President Donald J. Trump.  ​The action, embodied in Executive Order 13993, was one of six migration-related first-day actions taken by the new president.  This one effectively reverses a policy that expanded enforcement priorities within the U.S. to include broad categories of immigrants, rather than prioritizing efforts that targeted immigrants with serious criminal convictions.
As a technical matter, Wednesday's action by the new president revoked former President Trump's Executive Order 13768 of January 25, 2017 (Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States).  ​
Biden Issues Proclamation Reversing
​Trump "Muslim Ban"
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Picture
President Biden
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued a proclamation today undoing former President Donald J. Trump's ban on migration to the United States of persons from a number of mostly Muslim-majority and African countries.  ​The action, embodied in Presidential Proclamation 10141,was one of six migration-related first-day actions taken by the new president.  This particular one effectively revokes the Trump-era policy that was widely referred to as the "Muslim Ban."
As a technical matter, Wednesday's action by the new president revoked four different actions taken by President Trump: Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017 (Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States); Presidential Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017 (Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats); Presidential Proclamation 9723 of April 10, 2018 (Maintaining Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats); and Presidential Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020 (Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats).  ​
Biden Issues Order Reversing Trump Actions on the Undocumented and the 2020 Census
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Picture
President Biden
President Joseph R Biden, Jr. issued an executive order today reversing former President Donald J. Trump's effort to exclude the undocumented from being considered for the purposes of apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The action, embodied in Executive Order 13986, was one of six migration-related first-day actions taken by the new president.
The new President's actions revoked two Trump-era measures: Executive Order 13880 of July 11, 2019 (Collecting Information About Citizenship Status in Connection With the Decennial Census), and the Presidential Memorandum of July 21, 2020 (Excluding Illegal Aliens From the Apportionment Base Following the 2020 Census).s.
Recent Updates
Enduring Stories
Contents
This Week in House Committees
This Week in Senate Committees
House Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Labor, HHS, Education
Hearing on Safety Protections for Meatpacking, Poultry, and Agricultural Workers
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on
Western Hemisphere
Hearing on Venezuela Challenges Facing
the Biden Administration
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Senate Business Meetings
No immigration- or refugee-related hearings are scheduled in Senate committees beyond the week of February 8, 2021
House Markups
No immigration- or refugee-related business  meeting are scheduled in House committees during the week of March 1, 2021.
Senate Committee on
Judiciary
Business Meeting to Organize for the 117th Congress and Consider the Nomination of Merrick Garland to be Attorney General of the United States
Monday, March 1, 2021
Senate Committee on
Finance
Business Meeting to Consider the Nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of
Health and Human Services
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
This Week on the House Floor
House Floor
Anticipated Immigration Activity
The full House will meet in legislation session during the week of March 1, 2021.  However, no measures impacting immigration or refugee policy are scheduled for House floor consideration during the week.
This Week on the Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Anticipated Immigration Activity
The full Senate will meet in legislation and executive session during the week of March 1, 2021.  However, no measures impacting immigration or refugee policy are scheduled for House floor consideration during the week.
It is expected to take up the following items impacting migration law and policy during the week:
​
  • Garland Nomination.  PN78-7, the nomination of Merrick Garland, of Maryland, to be Attorney General.​ ​
  • H.R. ___, the yet-to-be-introduced Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Reconciliation Act.  The measure is expected to include provisions produced by various House committees pursuant to reconciliation instructions contained in a yet-to-be-passed concurrent resolution on the budget.  It is anticipated that, together those provisions will form a budget reconciliation bill that embodies President Biden's proposed $1.9 billion Coronavirus Relief legislation.​ ​​
Upcoming House Actions
House Floor
Anticipated Immigration Activity
The full House is expected to meet in legislative session during the remainder of March with an uncertain schedule of migration-related hearings and legislation:
Upcoming Senate Actions
Senate Floor
Anticipated Immigration Activity
The full Senate is expected to meet in legislative and executive session during the remainder of March..
It is expected to take up the following items impacting migration law and policy during that period:
​
  • Garland Nomination.  PN78-7, the nomination of Merrick Garland, of Maryland, to be Attorney General.​ ​
  • Becerra Nomination.  PN78-2, the nomination of Xavier Becerra, of California, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.​​​
  • Monaco Nomination.  PN79-10, the nomination of Lisa O. Monaco to be Deputy Attorney General 
  • Gupta Nomination.  PN79-4, the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be Associate Attorney General.  ​
House Committee on
​Foreign Affairs
Hearing on the Biden Administration's
Foreign Policy Priorities
Wednesday, March 10, 2021​
House ​Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations and Global
​Corporate Social Impact
Hearing on the COVID-19 and the State of
International Development
Wednesday, March 10, 2021​
Senate Committee on
the Judiciary
Hearing on the Nominations of Lisa Monaco
​and Vanita Gupta
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy
Hearing on Human Trafficking
Friday, March 19, 2021​
Last Week on the House Floor
House Floor
Immigration Activity
The full House met in legislative session during the week of February 22, 2021, and considered one measure that could have a significant impact on migration law or policy:
Last Week on the Senate Floor
Senate Floor
Immigration Activity
The full Senate met as a court of impeachment during the week of February 8, 2021, taking no action on items that either included migration-related provisions or that could have a significant impact on migration law or policy.
Last Week in House Committees
Last Week in Senate Committees
House Committee on the Budget
Business Meeting to Markup
Budget Reconciliation Legislation
Monday, February 22, 2021 
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Business Meeting to Markup
State Department Authorization Act
Thursday, February 25, 2021 ​
​
House Committee on Rules
Business Meeting to Markup Rule Providing for
Consideration of FY '21 Budget Reconciliation Act
Friday, February 26, 2021
Senate Business Meetings
No immigration- or refugee-related hearings are scheduled in Senate committees beyond the week of February 22, 2021
House Markups
No immigration- or refugee-related business  meeting are scheduled in House committees during the week of March 1, 2021.
Senate Committee on
Judiciary
Business Meeting to Organize for the 117th Congress and Consider the Nomination of Merrick Garland to be Attorney General of the United States
Monday, March 1, 2021
Senate Committee on
Finance
Business Meeting to Consider the Nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of
Health and Human Services
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
U.S. Immigration
Legislation
Legislative developments on Capitol Hill relating to immigration and refugee policy
U.S. Immigration in
the News
The treatment of immigration and refugee policy and politics in the news media
Live Proceedings
and Events
U.S. Immigration and Politics
Live proceedings in the House and Senate involving immigration and refugee policy
Curated video of 2020 campaign ads featuring immigration or xenophobia