Category: Legislative Preview - THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION

August 3, 2020 Legislative Preview

8/3/2020

Congress in Holding Pattern as House, Senate, and Administration Negotiators Attempt to Fashion
COVID-19 Legislative Relief Package

Monday, August 3, 2020

After a busy week last week, during which the House passed four bills and Congress held six hearings that either focused or touched on immigration or refugees, Congress will be in a bit of a holding pattern during the week of August 3, 2020, with much of the action taking place behind the scenes.

The big behind-the-scenes this week will be the negotiations taking place involving the House and Senate Democratic Leadership, the Senate Republican Leadership, and the Trump Administration to reach an agreement on the terms of the next COVID-19 relief legislation. Democrats are seeking enactment of a $3 TRILLION package that includes assistance to individuals, businesses, and state and local government, as well as funding for election administration, funding for the U.S. postal service, and provisions assisting immigrants. The White House and congressional Republicans are seeking enactment of a much smaller, $1 TRILLION package that includes much smaller enhanced federal unemployment compensation; less aid to state and local governments; and COVID-19-related liability protections for employers.

As far as the week beginning August 3rd is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in migration policy, the week's legislative schedule includes three hearings (one of which is occurring in the House and the other two in the Senate); no substantive markup sessions, and possible floor action in the Senate on a COVID-19 relief bill.

July 27, 2020 Legislative Preview

7/27/2020

Congress Faces Heavy Schedule of Migration-
Related Legislative Action in the Coming Week

Monday, July 27, 2020

After a busy week last week, during which Congress took up and passed six immigration- or refugee-related bills, Congress moves into overdrive during the week ahead. Together, the House and Senate will hold numerous hearings that either focus or touch on immigration or refugee law and policy during the week of July 27th. And one chamber of Congress plans to take up three of the four regular appropriations bills that fund the federal government's immigration-, refugee-, border security-, and interior immigration enforcement-related agencies, programs, functions, and activities during the week.

Almost all of the immigration and refugee-related work taking place in front of the cameras this week is occurring in the House. However, behind the scenes, Senate Republicans in the coming week are expected to decide whether to treat the immigrant and refugee communities equitably in the next traunch of COVID-19 relief legislation they are putting together. And immigration policymakers and stakeholders await a promised executive action on immigration that could address the legal immigration system and the fate of DACA beneficiaries..

As far as the week beginning July 27th is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in migration policy, the week's legislative schedule includes seven hearings (six of which are occurring in the House); no substantive markup sessions, and floor action on as many as five bills (all in the House) that contain substantial immigration- or refugee-related provisions.

July 20, 2020 Legislative Preview

7/20/2020

Congress To Take on a Heavy Agenda of Migration-
Related Action as the House and Senate
Return to the Nation's Capitol

Monday, July 20, 2020

The full U.S. House of Representatives and full U.S. Senate return this week from their respective two week-long Independence Day recesses, with a full schedule of immigration-related legislative activity, including hearings, markups, and floor activity.

The heaviest lifting during the week ahead will take place in the 'lower chamber." The full House could take up as many as five bills during the week of July 20 that contain significant migration-related provisions. This includes the bill that authorizes funding for defense operations, an appropriations bill that funds refugee admissions and overseas refugee assistance operations, a bill to undue several Trump Administration "bans" on the entry of migrants into the United States, and a bill to assure that asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants presenting themselves at U.S. ports of entry have access to counsel.

The principal migration-related action in the Senate during the week ahead is the continued consideration of its version of the defense authorization bill, a measure that both contains several migration-related provisions and is a target for multiple migration-related floor amendments.

As far as the week beginning July 20th is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in migration policy, the week's legislative schedule includes two hearings (both occurring in the House); one markup session (occurring in the Senate); and floor action on as many as seven bills (one in the Senate and the other six in the House).

July 13, 2020 Legislative Preview

7/13/2020

Migration-Related Spending Bills and Oversight
Hearings on DHS Operations Dominate
the Week Ahead

Monday, July 13, 2020

The full U.S. House of Representatives and full U.S. Senate wrap up their respective two week-long Independence Day recesses at the end of the week ahead. However, several House committees have remained in Washington during the recess and are conducting significant business, including significant immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity.

The principal action in Congress in the week ahead week will be the continued production by the House Committee on Appropriations of the twelve regular fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills that fund the discretionary operations of the federal government, readying those measures for House floor action when the full House returns to legislative session beginning on July 20th.
With respect to the four regular appropriations bills that fund the nation's migration-related departments, agencies, functions, programs, and activities, the House Committee on Appropriations approved one of them on Thursday, July 9th, and it is scheduled to produce the other three during the week ahead.

As far as the week beginning July 13th is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in immigration, refugee, homeland security, or human trafficking policy, the week's legislative schedule includes two hearings (both occurring in the House); three markup sessions (all occurring in the House); and no floor action that either will or could touch on one or more of those subjects.

July 6, 2020 Legislative Preview

7/6/2020

Migration-Related Spending Bills Take Center
Stage in House Committees as Both
Chambers Leave Washington for
Two Week-Long Recesses

Monday July 6, 2020

The full U.S. House of Representatives and full U.S. Senate have departed the nation's capitol for their respective two week-long Independence Day recesses. However, in an unusual move, they have left House committees behind to hold hearings and markups.

The principal action in Congress during the next two weeks will be production by the House Committee on Appropriations of the twelve regular fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills that fund the discretionary operations of the federal government,readying those measures for House floor action when Congress returns on July 20th. This will include production of the four regular appropriations bills that fund the nation's migration-related departments, agencies, functions, programs, and activities,

As far as the week beginning July 6 is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in immigration, refugee, homeland security, or human trafficking policy, the week's legislative schedule includes one hearing (occurring in the House); five markup sessions (all occurring in the House), and no floor action that either will or could touch on one or more of those subjects. And the .White House schedule for the week includes planned meetings on Wednesday and Thursday between President Trump and Mexican President Manuel López Obrador.

June 29, 2020 Legislative Preview

6/29/2020

Defense Authorization Bills in House and Senate Highlight Possible Immigration Action in Congress
During the Week Ahead

Monday, June 29, 2020

The full Senate's and the full House Committee on Armed Services' consideration of their respective versions of the Fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act highlights the possible action on immigration in Congress during the week beginning June 29, 2020.

While neither the full Senate's or the House Committee's version of the annual defense authorization bill contained any contentious immigration- or refugee-related provisions at the time of this writing, both bills could become a target for contentious immigration-related amendments during their consideration in their respective bodies.

Other action occurring in committees could tangentially address the subjects of immigration or immigrants. But otherwise, a light week on immigration is in store for Congress during the week ahead.

The coming week's light activity belies a busy period to come.

As far as the week beginning June 29 is concerned, from the perspective of those interested in immigration, refugee, homeland security, or human trafficking policy, the week's schedule includes three hearings or briefings (all occurring in the House); one markup session (occurring in the House); and one floor action (occurring in the Senate) that either will or could touch on one or more of those subjects.

June 22, 2020, Legislative Preview

6/22/2020

Dueling House and Senate Policing Bills Highlight the Congressional Agenda During the Week Ahead

Monday, June 22, 2020

Now that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has finally issued its long-awaited ruling on the legality of the Trump Administration's efforts to rescind the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, immigration policymakers and stakeholders have slowly begun to turn their attention back to the more mundane aspects of immigration law and policymaking in Washington, such as poring through and examining the contents of appropriations and authorization bills and writing questions to be asked by legislators during tedious oversight hearings.

June 15, 2020, Legislative Preview

6/15/2020

Congress Inches Back Into the Arena with Several
Proceedings Touching on Immigration Matters
Scheduled for the Coming Week

Saturday, June 13, 2020

No floor action on measures touching on immigration law or policy is anticipated in either the House or the Senate during the week beginning June 15, 2020; the full U..S. House of Representatives will not be in legislative session during this period, and while the full Senate will be in session, its work will involve the consideration of a public lands bill and the consideration of several presidential nominations.

Notwithstanding the lack of floor action on immigration- or refugee-related measures during the coming week, however, several proceedings touching on those subjects are scheduled in congressional committees.

In addition to the immigration-related legislative business in committees that is scheduled to take place during the coming week, immigration stakeholders and policymakers are looking forward to action that could come at any time on several matters that are outside of Congress's purview but, rather, in the hands of either the Supreme Court of the United States or the President:

June 8, 2020, Legislative Preview

6/8/2020

No Legislative Action on Immigration- and Refugee-Related Matters Scheduled for the Coming Week

Monday, June 8, 2020

No immigration business is scheduled in Congress during the week beginning June 8, 2020. While the full Senate will be in session during the week, it will be considering nominations and is not expected to take up any significant legislation. The full House will not be in legislative session during the week, although several committees are holding hearings on matters having nothing to do with immigration, refugees, or human trafficking..

While no immigration-related legislative business is scheduled this week in Congress, immigration stakeholders and policymakers are awaiting action that could come at any time on three matters that are outside of Congress's purview: a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on the legality of the Trump Administration's efforts to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; a decision by the President on whether to extend a suspension of most immigration into the United States, and a decision by the President on whether to sign a bill that Congress has sent him regarding human rights in China,

Notwithstanding the absence of any scheduled legislative action on immigration and refugee matters during the week beginning June 8, the remainder of the month still could prove consequential for immigration policy watchers and stakeholders.

June 1, 2020 Legislative Preview

5/31/2020

House Leaves Washington for Virtually all of June, Leaving Little Action for the Week on Immigration- and Refugee-Related Matters

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Little immigration business is scheduled in Congress during the week beginning June 1, 2020. While the full Senate will be in session during the week, it will be considering nominations and is not expected to take up any significant legislation. The full House will not be in legislative session during the week. While several remote hearings are scheduled in the House, none of them are likely to touch on immigration, refugees, or human trafficking.

Notwithstanding the paucity of legislative action on immigration and refugee matters during the week beginning June 1, the month still could prove consequential for immigration policy watchers and stakeholders: