Monday, June 29, 2020

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Citing the economic collapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House has extended through the end of 2020 restrictions on immigration that it first imposed earlier this year, expanding them to also include foreign workers that often are hired by high technology companies and other employers. The announcement, implemented in a June 22, 2020, presidential proclamation, continues the suspension of most immigration to the United States that was first announced in an April 22, 2020 presidential proclamation.  However, it expands the previously announced suspension so that it also includes workers on H-1B visas, which are most often used for employing foreign nationals in the technology sector, but also in academia and health care. 

The restrictions contained in Monday's proclamation are the latest in a series of steps that the Administration has taken to halt most forms of immigration to the United States.  The Administration also has virtually stopped admitting refugees to he country, blocked the entry of unaccompanied alien children, and moved to make if much more difficult for person seeking asylum to apply for and receive that form of relief.

Coverage of Civil Unrest In the Wake of Minnesota Killing Crowds Out Discussion of Immigration on​ Sunday Public Affairs Programs

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Click the Play Button, above, to see excerpts of instances in which the subjects of immigration or refugees were discussed during the May 31, 2020, Sunday public affairs programs.

The widespread violence spawned by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota dominated the May 31, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, leaving little room for guests to address other subjects,  That fact meant there was little discussion about the subjects of immigration, immigrants, refugees, or human trafficking during the programs this week.

Indeed, the only two discussions or that touched on those subjects during the five programs this weekend came on NBC's "Meet the Press" and CNN's "State of the Union" programs,

A summary of the discussions that took place on those subjects during the May 31, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, along with a link to video of those discussions, follows:

There was Little Talk About Immigration on
this Weekend's Sunday Programs

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Click the Play Button, above, to see excerpts of instances in which the subjects of immigration or refugees were discussed during the May 24, 2020, Sunday public affairs programs.

The COVID-19 disease and the economic collapse it has induced dominated the May 24, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, leaving little room for guests to address other subjects,  That fact, plus the sparsity of guests who have Latino or immigrant backgrounds on the five venerable public affairs programs, meant there was little discussion about the subjects of immigration, refugees, or human trafficking during the programs this week.

Indeed, the only three discussions or reports that even elliptically touched on those subjects during the five programs this weekend came on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" and CBS's "Face the Nation" programs.  In all three instances, guests either examined disparities faced by Hispanics and other minorities that are being exacerbated by COVID-19 or discussed what then was a yet-to-come travel ban on persons seeking to come to the United States from Brazil..

A summary of the discussions that took place on those subjects during the May 24, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, along with a link to video of those discussions, follows:

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The White House proclamation bars the entry of persons if they were physically present in Brazil during the 14-day period prior to their travel, effective on May 28, 2020.  The ban shall be in effect until revoked by the President.

​Excepted from the ban are U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, close relatives of U.S. citizens, some diplomats, and permanent residents, and flight crew members.  With Sunday's announcement, persons traveling from Brazil join persons traveling from China, Iran, the United Kingdom, and the countries of the European Union in being barred from entering the United States because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Indeed, Washington, DC's immigration policy highlight of the week could well occur across the street from the U.S. Capitol Building, with the Supreme Court, poised to rule as soon as this week on the legality of the Trump Administration's effort to shut down the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

While there is no scheduled immigration legislative action this week on the Hill,  Immigration policymakers will be attempting to read tea leaves as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and President Obama jockey for the moral, legislative, and political high ground in contemplation of the timing and contours of the next traunch of COVID-19 relief legislation.

House Passes $3 Trillion COVID-19 Legislative Package Containing Provisions Providing Relief to Immigrants and other Migrants in the United States

Saturday, May 16, 2020

This week's House COVID-19 relief action occurred on Friday, May 15, 2020, in connection with  H.R. 6800 , the  "Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act".  The House acted late in the evening on Friday, passing the measure by a 208-199 vote after narrowly rejecting an effort to reverse one of the measure's key immigrant relief provisions.

As passed by the House H.R. 6800 contains provisions providing for the issuance of stimulus payments  to households that include unauthorized migrants; extensions of status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries; extensions of expired and expiring employment authorization documents (EADs); roll-over of unused visas into future years; relief from detention for certain immigration detainees; heightened detention standards for immigration detainees; eased immigrant and nonimmigrant pathways for foreign-born medical professionals; access to COVID-19 testing and treatment without regard to immigration status; and remote naturalization oath.