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Update On Immigration Reform Under the Trump Administration

Transcript of the above video:

In this video we are going to be discussing some further developments, it's just kind of a further discussion regarding the possible permutations if you will, of the Trump Immigration Reform.

This is a White House sort of Press Release if you will, White House framework on Immigration Reform and Border Security. I am not going to go into the border security stuff and I am not going to go into DACA Legalization; there is plenty of other commentators that may be out there to talk about those. Most notably they are looking for funding for the proposed, specifically the border security, specifically the wall, the so called Wall. And then with respect to DACA Legalization, there seems to be bipartisan bickering with respect to how that's going to ultimately play out. But I continue to stress two points for those who are not particularly involved with the DACA issue or the border issue because over here in Asia those really don't hit too close to home with most folks who live out here or who are Asian-American etc., just expats but a couple of things to note: so within this White House frame work on immigration reform and border security, you can look this up, this was released by them. Quoting directly "Protect the nuclear family. Protect the nuclear family by emphasizing close familial relationships. Promote nuclear family migration by limiting family sponsorships to spouses and minor children only, for both citizens and LPRs, that's Lawful Permanent Residents, ending extended family chain migration”. Over and over I have discussed this on this channel, so called chain migration seems to be an issue of this Administration, and I have noted before that, especially sort of on the more, I won't say tenuous, but on the more extended end of some of the more preference categories, the preference family based categories, I have always said that yeah it may be only a matter of time before we see these possibly go the way of the wild goose. Most notably things like brother and sister, said the brother or sister of a permanent resident they can be beneficiaries of petition by US citizen for benefits such as green card status. That is sort of a throwback to a different time I've discussed that in more detail but I think ultimately in however the final form of a possible comprehensive Immigration Reform Act that comes out of this Administration, out of this Congress, I think you are definitely going to see at least some change to the immigration apparatus with respect to so called “extended family” members. Most notably I did a video on this topic specifically and read from the proposed bill, the proposed legislation the actual language in the Bill which seem to me, I concluded that it looks like there's a strong probability that parents of US citizens who are not themselves US citizen or lawful permanent residence probably are not going to be extended the same kind of benefits under a possible Trump comprehensive Administration Reform Act as well as brothers and sisters. I think that's pretty safe to say. Now, everyone in between how they are going to shake out members remains to be seen. It seems clear at least for now, step children and spouses, they are going to be operating under the same system that's been operating up to this point, but we don't know it could change. Another thing "apply these changes prospectively not retroactively by processing the backlog”. This was an issue I brought up in other videos that we didn't quite know how it was going to operate, were they going to go backwards at previously filed cases and say: ”no, we're going to kick those back out”, I always felt like that probably was not going to happen; it seems to be that that is a fact the case, that this Administration is not looking to punish those who are operating under the law previously but simply looking to change the law moving forward. Now that being said those who are watching this video who do have siblings, US citizens for example who do have siblings they might want to eventually bring to the United States in Lawful Permanent Resident status, now is the time to seriously consider filing because if you're in and you have already filed there seems to be a strong likelihood, I won't say a certainty, but I think there's a good likelihood that those folks are going to be “grandfathered” in if you will and they will just be processed in the backlog, notwithstanding the fact that people in  the same relationships will not be able to file for those benefits moving forward past the comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. Here is another one I have brought up in the past which is noted here, quoting directly, "eliminate Lottery and repurpose visas. The Visa lottery selects individuals at random to come to the United States without consideration of skills apparent to Public Safety. This program is riddled with Fraud and Abuse and does not serve the national interest. Eliminate Lottery and reallocate the visas to reduce the family-based "backlog", that is their quotes, and high-skilled employment "back log" their quotes again.  I have said this before, I will say it again. I don't have any particular issue with the diversity Visa Lottery scheme. I can see the reasons behind it, I can see the pros I can see the cons. I don't really have a “dog in that fight”, so to speak. That being said, I have always felt like that one of the first things on The Chopping Block would probably be the Diversity Visa Program because, and as noted in this release, it does take up a certain number of the visa numbers issued every year and also it does take up resources, time and resources with respect to processing for example, and so I have always kind of felt like,” yeah if there was going to come a day when Comprehensive reform would be brought about, I always kind of figured watch the Diversity Visa Lottery because I think there was going to be a good chance that that may go the “way of the wild goose”.

So the two things to take away from this video with respect to family-based immigration, especially from out here in Southeast Asia, is first of all those extended family members, if one is seriously thinking about possibly anytime in the future getting their parents, or getting  their brothers and sisters or any extended family if they qualify, in the United States it might be a good time to seriously do it now before the law changes because we don't know what it's going to look like in the future. The other thing to think about, but well there’s not really much to do with respect to the Visa Lottery, but the other thing to think about is the Visa Lottery itself may or may not be there in the near future so those folks who are trying to perhaps find a route to the United States by use of that program, keep trying for as long as it exists because it seems at least logical that ultimately Comprehensive Immigration Reform is probably not going to include the Visa Lottery.