[Article written by Benjamin Hu, Esq. as Of Counsel to the Ganey Law Group]
President Biden signed an Executive Order today, focusing on reducing the obstacles to immigration and initiating a sweeping review of federal government immigration policies. Highlights include:
▪ Directing federal government agencies to promote immigrant integration, inclusion, and citizenship;
▪ Directing the White House Domestic Policy Council to coordinate federal gov’t efforts to welcome and support immigrants;
▪ Ordering Depts. of State, Homeland Security, and Justice to review all regs in accordance with (1) above, and to report at 3- and 6-month milestones;
▪ Ordering immediate review of prior admin’s onerous “Public Charge” screening policies and report after 2 months;
▪ Ordering review to improve the Form N-400 naturalization process (granting citizenship to an existing lawful permanent resident), with a report after 3 months; and
▪ Revoking prior admin’s Executive Order requiring dollar-for-dollar repayment of public monetary support.
This EO raises the welcome prospect of mitigating or removing the onerous Public Charge Form I-944, an exclusionary measure adopted in 2020 that required detailed disclosures for foreigners and their entire families, as well as evidence of academic records, professional skills, worldwide assets and debts, and English language ability.
