Biden signs executive order to ensure legal immigration system operates fairly, efficiently

As part of his efforts to ensure that legal immigration system operates fairly and efficiently, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday to review policies of previous administration, including that of public charge. review of existing policies and subsequent recommendations coming from 60 to 180 days from various federal ncies are likely to end up in benefitting hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals in realising ir dream of citizenship of United States.

" federal government should develop welcoming strategies that promote integration, inclusion and citizenship, and it should embrace full participation of newest Americans in our democracy," Biden said in one of three executive orders he signed on Tuesday.

president told reporters at White House that his executive orders are about how America is safer, stronger, more prosperous when it has a fair, orderly and humane legal immigration system. "Today we are going to work to undo moral and national shame of previous administration that literally, t figuratively, ripped children from arms of ir families, ir mors and fars at border and with plan, ne whatsoever to reunify children who are still in custody and ir parents," he said.

first executive order was on creating a task force, chaired by Secretary of Homeland Security, to reunify families, which will work across governments to find parents and children separated by prior administration. second executive order develops a strategy to address root causes of migration across borders and creates a humane asylum system, including directing DHS to take steps to end Migrant Protection Protocols programme, which had led to a humanitarian crisis in rrn Mexico.

" third executive order promotes immigrant integration and inclusion and ensures that our legal immigration system operates fairly and efficiently by instructing ncies to review public charge rule and related policies," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.

Biden, in his third executive order, said over four crore foreign-born individuals live in US and millions more Americans have immigrants in ir families or ancestry. "New Americans and ir children fuel our ecomy, working in every industry, including healthcare, construction, caregiving, manufacturing, service, and agriculture. y open and successfully run businesses at high rates, creating jobs for millions, and y contribute to our arts, culture and government, providing new traditions, customs, and viewpoints," he said.

y are essential workers helping to keep ecomy afloat and providing important services to Americans during a global pandemic. y have helped US lead world in science, techlogy and invation. And y are on frontlines of research to develop COVID-19 vaccines and treatments for those afflicted with deadly disease, Biden asserted.

Among or things, review seeks to identify appropriate ncy actions, if any, to address concerns about current public charge policies' effect on integrity of nation's immigration system and public health, and recommend steps that relevant ncies should take to clearly communicate current public charge policies and proposed changes, if any, to reduce fear and confusion among impacted communities.

executive order is in addition to slew of similar orders signed by Biden on first day of his administration and citizenship bill that he has sent to Congress. bill among or things proposes to eliminate per-country quota in Green Card allocation, a move that will benefit hundreds and thousands of Indian immigrants. Biden Administration has also decided t to pursue move of previous Trump Administration to rescind policy of giving work authorisation to spouses of H-1B visa holders. move has been welcomed by legal Indian immigrants.

global tech trade association, ITI, welcomed Biden-Harris Administration's actions to reunite families that had been forcibly separated at US border and to ensure a fair and efficient legal immigration system in country. In keeping with his administration's efforts, ITI also urged Biden to formally rescind Trump Administration's presidential proclamation that currently prohibits certain high-skilled immigrants from obtaining visas as a result of COVID-19 outbreak.

"Keeping families toger and enacting modern, fair and efficient immigration policies will strengn communities, drive invation and spur US ecomic growth. To furr bolster US ecomic recovery in response to COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that President Biden rescind current suspension of high-skilled immigration. Our industry is committed to working with policymakers in administration and in US Congress to advance a modern, competitive immigration system," it said.

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) executive director Benjamin Johnson said changes are important, as is effort administration is undertaking to reunite families separated by Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy, which has already been rolled back by new administration. 

(Im Credits: AP)