What predictions do immigration experts have for 2022?
Now that immigration reform seems to have reached a dead end in Congress,
what is the Biden administration planning to do to address problems
like the visa backlog
and the millions of undocumented individuals living in the US?
Stay tuned, because we're going to take a look
at expert predictions for immigration in 2022, including
whether or not there is any hope left for immigration reform in Congress.
And if this is your first time on my channel, please be sure to subscribe
and turn on notifications for regular immigration news updates.
Let's start with the visa backlog,
something we've discussed a lot on my channel.
As many of you know, USCIS processed a large amount of employment
based green card applications at the end of fiscal year 2021, ultimately
approving more than 172,000, which was 50% more than their typical baseline.
Despite that accomplishment,
the National Visa Center still reports more than 450,000 eligible immigrant
visa applicants awaiting an interview in order to bring this number down.
USCIS is expected to make several changes in 2022,
including an increase in visa filing fees to hire more staff
an emphasis on increased efficiency at consulates,
including more video interviews, and an increase in premium
processing to expedite visas for certain employment based positions.
These changes won't do much to alleviate the years-long wait many have in the Visa
Bulletin—something the immigration provisions in the build back
better bill were designed to address, but likely will not happen now.
There is also word that USCIS is planning to change H-1B work visas.
The latest regulatory plans show that the Biden administration intends
to raise the wages of H-1B workers and make some other changes
to the program, including redefining the H-1B employer-employee relationship,
establishing new guidelines for employer site visits,
clarifying rules for F1 students awaiting a change of status to H-1B,
and clarifying the requirement that an amended or new H-1B visa
petition be filed if there are material changes to employment.
A Trump era proposal to reallocate H-1B cap numbers to the highest paid
individual has also been withdrawn by the Biden administration.
In response to these upcoming H-1B reforms,
Immigration attorney and Forbes contributor and Andy J.
Semotiuk said: "The US will need to seriously crank up
its immigration population, particularly in regard
to foreign skilled workers to keep America competitive.
Just relying on a modified H-1B program won't cut mustard any more.
Look for Congress to tackle this issue in 2022." So how about immigration reform?
Is it still possible despite the Senate parliamentarian's recent decision?
Unfortunately, Democrats might have blown their best chance
at passing meaningful immigration legislation through Congress.
There is mounting pressure
from progressives and immigration advocates to overrule the parliamentarian,
but Senate Democrats have repeatedly indicated that they don't plan to do
so, and the future of the build back better bill is uncertain at this point.
It isn't clear where Democrats can go from here,
but President Biden needs a win on immigration
if he is going to prevent the Republicans from taking back the House in 2022.
Now that the midterms are right around the corner, it is
unlikely Republicans will support any bipartisan immigration legislation,
and they have made it clear that they will use the crisis at the border and Biden's
immigration failures as a political weapon to win elections next year.
That means the Biden administration must take drastic action on immigration
now if Democrats want any chance of maintaining their majority.
Ed O'Keefe, senior White House and political correspondent for CBS News,
said: "If Democrats expect to be able to turn out the kinds of people
that they need to win congressional elections, they have to show
serious commitments to having tried to fix immigration." What do you think?
Will we see more progress on immigration in 2022
or will it just be a repeat of 2021?
Leave me a comment below and let me know!
And, check out my previous video where we compared Biden's performance
on immigration with former President Trump's to make
some surprising discoveries.
I will include a link to that here.
I will also continue bringing you additional immigration news
as it's available,
so be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications if you have not done so yet.
Click here to watch this next video and I'll see you there!