One thing is known about immigration law in 2018: it will bring many unknowns. Since the current administration assumed power in January of 2017, Norris McLaughlin's Immigration Practice Group has reported countless (nearly daily) changes to immigration policies, from quadrupling the number of immigration officers with a mission to audit every American employer, to the instituting multiple travel bans, ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and more...
The Administration often announces changes in policy at the very last minute, notwithstanding the significant impact on millions of American individuals, families, employers, colleges, hospitals, international corporations, and foreign investors. For example, the rollback of DACA and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for several countries is expected to reduce the American workforce by over 1.3 million ready and able employees, knocking most of these individuals into a state of immigration disarray—immigration unknowns with significant impacts.
The administration’s immigration-related priorities are expected to dominate the New Year, creating more unknowns.
What will happen in 2018?
Will border wall construction start? Will Congress preserve DACA? Will Congress preserve TPS? What will happen to the millions already enrolled in DACA or TPS? How will businesses replace the millions of DACA and TPS employees? Will all employers really face immigration audits? What will happen to the H-visa program? Will the EB-5 Investor Visa Program set to expire on January 19, 2018 be re-authorized, come to an end, or continue only after the implementation of significant reforms? Will “chain migration” end? What will happen to the Diversity Visa Program? What countries will be included in the next travel ban? Will only “bad hombres” be deported, or is everyone at risk? How far will U.S. embassies, consulates, and domestic immigration agencies go when implementing the Administration’s “extreme vetting” policies? Will the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) end? Will the Department of Labor visit every employer with an employer-sponsored employee? Will the rights of individuals, employers, and organizations diminish when faced with an arrest, immigration inspection or raid?With the landscape of immigration law changing daily and the impact of these changes impacting so many, it is important that employers, businesses, and other profit and non-profit organizations of every size remain on alert. More importantly, when faced with these unknowns, rely on immigration counsel to help guide you through the maze of confusion that immigration law has become.
Stay Tuned for Immigration Law in 2018…
To learn more about this post or any other immigration matter, feel free to contact me, Raymond G. Lahoud, at rglahoud@nmmlaw.com.