On to the Legal Immigration Executive Order (thanks @DLind for emailing).
It begins by affirming that "Our Nation is enriched socially and economically by the presence of immigrants, and we celebrate with them as they take the important step of becoming United States citizens."
It begins by affirming that "Our Nation is enriched socially and economically by the presence of immigrants, and we celebrate with them as they take the important step of becoming United States citizens."
The first portion of the legal immigration executive order calls for the creation of a Task Force of New Americans to be run out of the White House Domestic Policy Council, with will "coordinate the Federal Government's efforts to welcome and support immigrants."
Next, the EO calls for a full review by the AG and the Secretaries of DHS & State Dep't of "existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions that may be inconsistent" with the welcoming policy of the Biden administration.
As part of that review, the secretaries + AG are directed to "identify barriers that impede access to immigration benefits and fair, efficient adjudications," such as the USCIS fee rule, and to recommend steps to "revise or rescind" those agency actions.
Furthermore, the Secretaries + AG are directed to provide a plan within 90 days to advance the Biden administration's pro-immigrant policy goals, and a report at 180 days on the progress in implementing those goals.
Next, on to Public Charge! The EO directs the AG, Secretary of State, and DHS Secretary to "consider and evaluate the current effects of [the Public Charge Rule] and the implications of their continued implementation."
Again, nothing concrete, so expect more from the agencies.
Again, nothing concrete, so expect more from the agencies.
Moving forward, in Section 5, the same cabinet officials are directed to, within 60 days, develop a plan to "eliminate barriers in and otherwise improve the existing naturalization process," reduce backlogs, consider lowering citizenship fees, and "review policies" on denatz.
180 day after the plan on naturalization is developed, the cabinet secretaries are directed to submit a report to the President on progress implementing the new changes.
The legal immigration EO also creates an Interagency Working Group on Promoting Naturalization, which is to be chaired by the DHS Secretary and involving significant cross-governmental coordination. They're supposed to create a plan within 90 days "to promote naturalization."
Finally, the only concrete action taken tonight by the legal immigration EO is to revoke a 2019 Presidential Memorandum that called for DHS to take steps to enforce sponsor affidavits of support.
Like the border EO, the legal immigration EO leaves almost all concrete actions up to the agencies.
Importantly, the EO does NOT revoke Trump's immigrant and nonimmigrant visa bans—which masqueraded as being about unemployed workers but was just an excuse to limit immigration.
Importantly, the EO does NOT revoke Trump's immigrant and nonimmigrant visa bans—which masqueraded as being about unemployed workers but was just an excuse to limit immigration.
The legal immigration EO has now been posted on the White House's website, so read it for yourself now! whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/…
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