Last call today: If you don't want @DHSgov to eliminate the International Entrepreneur Rule (#IER), today is the last day to make your voice heard (June 28). @fwd_us has everything you need to file a comment in just a few minutes. 1/ fwd.us/ier
"Make my voice heard?" you say with understandable skepticism, "What are the odds that my comment will make any difference?" Pretty good, actually! Much higher than signing a typical online petition or even calling a member of Congress. 2/
Because the International Entrepreneur Rule (#IER) is a federal regulation, the government can't change it until (a) giving the public an opportunity to submit comments, (b) actually reading through all of these comments, and (c) ultimately responding to every unique argument. 3/
Will your comment single-handedly make @DHSgov change its mind and embrace the International Entrepreneur Rule (#IER) as an obvious boon for U.S. job creation, innovation, & competitiveness, by attracting the world's best founders? Full disclosure: No. 4/ bloomberg.com/view/articles/…
But will your own words add to a pile of public comments that the gov't *must* expend resources to analyze? Without a doubt. The more unique comments submitted, the longer it will take for @DHSgov to develop a final rule, and only then, months from now, can #IER be eliminated. 5/
Plus, if groups like @nvca & @immcouncil continue to challenge @DHSgov to save #IER in court, the primary record the judge is required to look at will be all of the public comments submitted as of today. 6/ nvca.org/pressreleases/…
So submitting a comment today is a high-impact use of time if you want to increase the odds the International Entrepreneur Rule (#IER) lives on--& if you want to slow the freight train of other #immigration changes in the works (#H4EAD, public charge). 7/ chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/c…
This morning there are >700 comments on the International Entrepreneur Rule (#IER); this is unprecedented for this program. Today's the deadline (June 28); how high will that number go? Again, @fwd_us has all you need to take a minute & make an impact. 8/8 fwd.us/ier
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🚨The Biden administration just released its Interagency Strategy on Naturalization, a whole-of-government effort to remove obstacles facing immigrants eligible for US citizenship.
The agency responsible for naturalization, @USCIS, is methodically removing barriers to US citizenship for eligible immigrants, including oath ceremonies by video for overseas US military families. An important step in the right direction...
Coming out of the Covid crisis & Trump-era policies, @USCIS has now "return[ed] to pre-pandemic levels when it comes to completing naturalization applications."
That's good news, but there's now a nearly million-application backlog looming.
President Biden's immigration bill includes not only a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, smart border policies, & humane treatment of refugees—it also promises major & long-overdue improvements to our skills-based immigration system...
Let's start with the broken status quo: Lots of talented people want to be in the US—not as temporary workers, but as permanent residents with green cards, & ultimately US citizens.
But there aren't enough employment-based green cards.
The official cap is 140,000/year, but…
2/
…people have families, turns out, so ~70k green cards go to employer-sponsored workers, & ~70k go to their spouses & children.
This compels many future Americans to use a somewhat-less-scarce *temporary* work visa, like the H-1B, while waiting for a green card.
3/
The argument is rooted in demographics: America's "Old Age Dependency Ratio" (# working-age vs. retirement-age adults) is plummeting, which is very bad news for future economic growth, Social Security solvency, etc.
To stay at par (3.5 ratio) by 2060, we need more immigrants. 2/
Specifically, 37% more immigrants—a total of ~1.37M/year.
Consider that Canada & Australia already welcome *200-300%* more immigrants than America does, adjusted for population.
America's immigration policy is among the stingiest in the @OECD.
For expert commentary on the impact of this order, see @IRAP@RCUSA_DC@RESCUEorg@HIASrefugees@LIRSorg & many more groups that have done the hard work of protecting refugees during the dark recent times.
I just want to point out some elements for the tech community...
2/
Important call for more efficient collection & sharing of biometric data, along with interviews via teleconferencing—these are tech-driven opportunities to streamline the whole system & put the President's goal of 125,000 annual refugee admissions within reach.
How does DHS justify delaying the effective date without notice & comment?
"USCIS will not have adequate time to complete system development, thoroughly test the modifications, train staff,
& conduct public outreach needed to ensure an effective & orderly implementation."
2/
Also:
"During the delay, while USCIS works through the issues associated with implementation, DHS leadership will also evaluate [Trump's] January 8th rule & its associated policies, as is typical of agencies at the beginning of a new Administration."