Trump running out of time to solidify immigration agenda after U.S. election loss

[webfact]

Trump running out of time to solidify immigration agenda after U.S. election loss

By Ted Hesson

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump smiles as he prepares to autograph a plaque commemorating the construction of the 200th mile of border wall while visiting the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border in San Luis, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration is pushing to finalize new immigration restrictions before his term ends in January, according to three senior homeland security officials, a last-gasp effort in a policy area that was a central focus during his four years in office.

 

The moves come even as Democratic President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to rescind many of Trump's immigration policies. By finalizing rules that have just been proposed, or issuing last-minute orders, the administration could slow down Biden's efforts to undo many of Trump's signature measures that have made it harder for immigrants to enter and settle in the United States.

 

One measure announced this week limits travel to the United States for Chinese Communist Party members and their immediate families. The State Department said on Thursday it was reducing the maximum validity of tourist visas for that group to one month from 10 years.

 

Another goal for Trump's last few weeks in office is replacing a lottery system used to award H-1B visas to skilled foreign workers, according to officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss government operations. Instead, a new selection process would favor visa applicants with higher-paying jobs.

 

White House senior adviser Stephen Miller - considered the architect of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda - told Reuters over the summer that the regulations meant to drive up wages in the H-1B program would be politically unpopular to reverse, since the changes are aimed at protecting U.S. workers.

 

On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Facebook Inc, accusing the social media giant of discriminating against potential U.S. hires by favoring temporary workers, including H-1B visas holders. A Facebook spokesman said it disputed the allegations in the complaint.

 

Other measures that could be hurried to the finish line include new rules to restrict access to asylum and a regulation that would allow federal immigration officials to collect DNA from family-based visa applicants and the U.S. citizens or permanent residents who sponsor them.

 

Another measure would tighten visa rules for international students, cultural exchange visitors and foreign journalists.

 

The changes would take the form of regulatory actions that are crafted by agencies and do not require congressional approval but need to follow legal processes outlined in federal law.

 

News reports have also surfaced about a possible Trump executive order to weaken the constitutional right to citizenship for all people born in the United States. A senior homeland security official told Reuters, however, the effort did not appear to be a priority for the White House.

 

Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli is spearheading the last-ditch immigration effort, one official told Reuters, as the president continues to promote unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud and has not conceded his Nov. 3 election defeat.

 

The White House and DHS declined to comment.

 

'BEFORE THE CLOCK RUNS OUT'

Trump is not the first president to engage in a last-minute policy push, according to Republican strategist Alex Conant.

 

"Every outgoing administration tries to do as much as they can before the clock runs out," he said. "There are a lot of true believers in this White House who think immigration is bad for the country and are spending their last hours in power trying to cement their policies."

 

Most of Trump's immigration plans are unlikely to be finished, however, before he leaves office and the ones that are hastily pushed through will be vulnerable to court challenges.

 

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked two different fast-tracked Trump rules targeting the H-1B program. The judge said the administration failed to show "good cause" to skip regulatory steps that typically take months or longer.

 

Rules that have not taken effect by the time Biden takes office on Jan. 20 could be delayed and eventually rescinded, according to three experts in government regulations.

 

Any work in Trump's final month in office will also likely be slowed down by the Christmas and New Year's holidays and possible departures of Trump appointees, which is typical for outgoing administrations.

 

One closely watched policy area will be any final Trump actions related to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which was instituted by President Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president.

 

The Supreme Court in June thwarted Trump's attempt to end DACA, which offers deportation relief and work permits to some 646,000 "Dreamer" immigrants brought to the United States as children but who lack legal status.

 

After the ruling, the Trump administration said it would still consider ending the program and then issued an order that narrowed its scope.

Even though a federal judge ruled against that move in November, the administration could try other last-minute avenues to hamper the program.

 

"Nothing would surprise us," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the pro-immigrant America's Voice.

 

Biden has promised to send legislation to Congress that would provide a path to citizenship to the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally, including those enrolled in the DACA program.

 

(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Mica Rosenberg, Peter Cooney and Alexandra Hudson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-04

 

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[PatOngo]

The sooner this disgusting man is out of the news, the better!

[Chomper Higgot]

Trump might be signing this off but it’s all driven by Miller.

[IgboChief]

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Trump might be signing this off but it’s all driven by Miller.

 

Chomper, the truth is: as much as I despise [Trump], we need to talk about immigration. In theory, I would love to live in a world with no passports, no borders and free travel and choice of residence. I am also very well aware of my unfair privilege of having a "golden passport" and the "right colour" allowing me to go anywhere.

 

That said, in reality people are emotional and welcoming guests has a certain limit. Also cultures are not always compatible. Ignoring that is as foolish as building a wall again. If you want immigration (and the most of the aging western societies do need immigration), you need to manage it well.

 

I spent the half of my adult life in Africa, I know how they live and (need to) approach their life. When there is no government to bank on, it is all about bending the rules and to get around it and to grab whatever you can. They have no respect for Visa, Workpermits or Regulations. They are all hustling and a lot of them work (but definitely NOT all) work on muscle or body only.

 

So in my opinion, in order to save immigration we need to regulate immigration. Otherwise we lose our justification and the democratic vote and put ourselves in a corner. Not everyone concerned about migrants is a racist. There are justified concerns, I share some of them. Not everyone agitating "human rights" is doing good. The ugly reality is, that we must find a middle ground.

 

So as much as I am relieved seeing Trump gone, I believe he has had a point in arguing about the immigration approach and also denying countries/nationalities entry, which continuously break immigration laws and also refuse to support enforcement (e. g. not confirming nationality and not taking back criminal offenders etc.)

 

As always in life: it is complicated and there is no black or white, just many shades of grey.

 

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by onthedarkside
Trump name calling removed

[Tug]

What on earth would lead a person to think immigration is or ever was unregulated that’s untrue heck it took almost 2 yrs to get my wife’s papers back in the early eighths trump and his tody Miller should have no more chances to screw this up they have damaged enough lives allready let it get worked out under the new administration yeiks!

[IgboChief]

47 minutes ago, Tug said:

What on earth would lead a person to think immigration is or ever was unregulated that’s untrue heck it took almost 2 yrs to get my wife’s papers back in the early eighths trump and his tody Miller should have no more chances to screw this up they have damaged enough lives allready let it get worked out under the new administration yeiks!

 

Allow me to rephrase: It is certainly regulated, but it is getting abused and some of the regulations are in-effective and only loosely enforced (in Europe).

[Chomper Higgot]

Let’s separate two things.

 

Sensible immigration control and the vicious and racist policies prompted by Miller and enacted by the Trump administration.

 

We can then dispense with the lie that the alternative to these viscous racist policies is not and never has been ‘no immigration control’.

 

Apart from that, your broad brush negative stereotyping of the people of the whole African continent is noted.

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Most of Trump's immigration plans are unlikely to be finished, however, before he leaves office and the ones that are hastily pushed through will be vulnerable to court challenges.

Excellent news. 

[Surelynot]

Dictators always, always, need an enemy for the dumb population to refocus their hatred upon.....anyone that can be easily distinguished "physically" is a good start......if not, stick a star on them.

[Sujo]

Time for biden to get the executive order pen ready and undo everything trump did.

[Jeffr2]

That Miller guy is a real nutter.  And a hard core racist.  Can't wait for him to get booted out. 

 

I watched a presidential debate with Ronald Regan.  Guess what they were discussing?  Immigration reform.

 

No easy answers and politicians are reluctant to take on the hard task.  Sadly.

[onthedarkside]

Off-topic diversion posts on the status of U.S. election results have been removed.

 

[Thomas J]

3 hours ago, IgboChief said:

Chomper, the truth is: as much as I despise [Trump], we need to talk about immigration. In theory, I would love to live in a world with no passports, no borders and free travel and choice of residence.

igboChief

A country is defined by three characteristics.  Defined borders, common language and shared culture.  You don't expect to go to France and have them speak Norwegian or Swahili.  The USA is supposedly a country based on law.  Many leftists want to just ignore immigration laws and if you sneak in to the country you get both social benefits and amnesty.  If that becomes the effective policy then really the USA is open to anyone and there are no immigration laws.  When the populace starts to decide not the lawmakers, which laws to obey and which to ignore then again there really are no laws.  

People are chosen to jobs, promotions, entry to organizations, sports teams, colleges etc based on MERIT.  The USA does in fact need immigrants.  However it has like most countries enough with limited to no skills.  With manufacturing going overseas and becoming automated the number of unskilled, low skilled labor positions is being reduced.  Entry to the USA or for that matter any other country should be based on what the entrant can provide to the country, not what the country can provide to the entrant.  One look at Thailand shows you they understand that allowing people into the country is based on meeting certain requirements.  An OA Visa requires a background check, minimum income, health certification, and insurance.  I can tell you hospitals around the border with Mexico have closed because hospitals can not refuse treatment and Mexicans come across the border either temporarily or permanently to gain treatment but of course they have neither the financial resources or insurance to pay for them.  While it may sound humanitarian to allow them in, Paul Harvey said it best.  Remember pulling too many people into the life boat swamps the boat and everyone drowns.  

[xylophone]

 

 

2 hours ago, Thomas J said:

People are chosen to jobs, promotions, entry to organizations, sports teams, colleges etc based on MERIT.  The USA does in fact need immigrants.  However it has like most countries enough with limited to no skills.  With manufacturing going overseas and becoming automated the number of unskilled, low skilled labor positions is being reduced.  Entry to the USA or for that matter any other country should be based on what the entrant can provide to the country, not what the country can provide to the entrant. 

 

I am of the same opinion with regards to immigration, as we have something similar in New Zealand, and I have never seen the sense in allowing a broad-brush immigration to occur, whereby the immigrants go straight onto Social Security, get free housing and other benefits, and don't have to work for the rest of their lives.

 

That has happened in the UK and irrespective of whether people from poorer countries are seeking what some call "a better life", in the main they are just seeking an easier life without having to work. Then again, it's as much the government's fault for handing out freebies without demanding that work/employment is part of the deal.

 

I think Biden will have to find some middle ground between Draconian trump-like measures and common sense.

[Chomper Higgot]

4 hours ago, Thomas J said:

igboChief

A country is defined by three characteristics.  Defined borders, common language and shared culture.  You don't expect to go to France and have them speak Norwegian or Swahili.  The USA is supposedly a country based on law.  Many leftists want to just ignore immigration laws and if you sneak in to the country you get both social benefits and amnesty.  If that becomes the effective policy then really the USA is open to anyone and there are no immigration laws.  When the populace starts to decide not the lawmakers, which laws to obey and which to ignore then again there really are no laws.  

People are chosen to jobs, promotions, entry to organizations, sports teams, colleges etc based on MERIT.  The USA does in fact need immigrants.  However it has like most countries enough with limited to no skills.  With manufacturing going overseas and becoming automated the number of unskilled, low skilled labor positions is being reduced.  Entry to the USA or for that matter any other country should be based on what the entrant can provide to the country, not what the country can provide to the entrant.  One look at Thailand shows you they understand that allowing people into the country is based on meeting certain requirements.  An OA Visa requires a background check, minimum income, health certification, and insurance.  I can tell you hospitals around the border with Mexico have closed because hospitals can not refuse treatment and Mexicans come across the border either temporarily or permanently to gain treatment but of course they have neither the financial resources or insurance to pay for them.  While it may sound humanitarian to allow them in, Paul Harvey said it best.  Remember pulling too many people into the life boat swamps the boat and everyone drowns.  

It seems to have evaded you that the United States is a multicultural nation built on centuries of immigration.

 

You make the groundless assertion leftists want to ignore immigration law.

 

You obviously don’t have a clue about US immigration law and how it works.

 

You are clearly oblivious to the large numbers of low skill immigrant workers in Thailand, many who are not here with the correct documents.

 

The US economy needs immigrants and it has a particular need for low skilled immigrants willing to do the jobs Americans refuse to do.

 

 

 

 

[onthedarkside]

A post violating forum rules on fair-use quoting and oversized fonts has been removed, along with several replies.

 

[Pique Dard]

immigration is certainly an issue which must be addressed but the solutions proposed by trump and his administration suck

[Credo]

9 hours ago, Thomas J said:

igboChief

A country is defined by three characteristics.  Defined borders, common language and shared culture.  You don't expect to go to France and have them speak Norwegian or Swahili.  The USA is supposedly a country based on law.  Many leftists want to just ignore immigration laws and if you sneak in to the country you get both social benefits and amnesty.  If that becomes the effective policy then really the USA is open to anyone and there are no immigration laws.  When the populace starts to decide not the lawmakers, which laws to obey and which to ignore then again there really are no laws.  
 

If you want to make a point, then it's a good idea to start out with correct information.  So let's take shared language and culture.   Next time you go to Switzerland take note they have 4 official languages, there are a whole list of countries with multiple official languages:  The Netherlands, 4; Serbia, 7; South Africa, 11.   In addition to language culture is a mixture of many different elements and not a monolith.  

Your statement that  'Many leftists want to just ignore immigration laws and if you sneak in to the country you get both social benefits and amnesty' is simply not true.  Some people want more liberal immigration laws, but I don't know a single soul advocating 'ignoring immigration laws'.   I do know that historically, it has been the conservatives who want liberal immigration....they need the cheap Mexican labor in the fields and the meat packing industry.   The bigger companies want more access to cheaper tech specialists.   

I think you are tarring those who don't agree with you with the same brush.   

Oh, and just to briefly address the 'shared border', there are plenty of places that agree with how a border should be shared, Russia/Ukraine is one example (Crimea) and Thailand/Cambodia is another.   Try and figure out who owns Preah Viharn temple.

 

 

[Scott]

A post citing an unapproved, dodgy and untruthful source has been removed along with replies.  

 

[Tug]

A federal judge just ordered the trump administration to reinstate daca that’s great imo and Stephen miller must be popping a gasket!! Lol who knows maybe a tweet storm coming from trump maybe not he’s been quiet lately (it’s really nice to lol)

[Eric Loh]

19 minutes ago, Tug said:

A federal judge just ordered the trump administration to reinstate daca that’s great imo and Stephen miller must be popping a gasket!! Lol who knows maybe a tweet storm coming from trump maybe not he’s been quiet lately (it’s really nice to lol)

Sweet music. That is Trump main focus to overturn DACA which is Obama’s major legacy in terms of immigration policies. There will be little time for an appeal plus the fact that Chad Wolf has no authority as he is only acting chief.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/federal-judge-reinstates-daca-orders-trump-quickly-accept-new-applicants-n1250081

[Thomas J]

11 hours ago, Credo said:

f you want to make a point, then it's a good idea to start out with correct information. 

Credo

A country is defined by three factor defined borders, common language, shared culture 

1. it is a defined borders.  If borders don't matter than why have maps that differentiate the USA from Canada or Mexico.  If borders don't matter why have immigration officials at border crossings
 

2. With respect to a common language, yes many countries have residents who routinely speak one or more languages however, there is a Russian language, German Language, French Language, Italian Language and that common language distinguishes as residents of that country.  

While multi-lingual may sound good, let me challenge you.  Fire, rescue, or police are at the scene of a disaster and shouting emergency instructions.  Do they shout them out in 5, 6, 7 languages.  Most importantly if people can not talk to each other they do not assimilate, become friends or conduct business.  
 

3. In Thailand people Wai, in Japan bowing, kissing both cheeks in France, in Malaysia the point with their thumb.  When people to not share traditions and customs that element of defining that region as a country is lost. 

Final point, while much is made of diversity it is not the things that we do not share in common that bind us together.  It is those things that we share in common.  Whether we like it or not, human beings have throughout centuries showed contempt and hatred for people who are different.  Those differences cause problems in society.  One only need to look at Rawanda where the Hutus and Tutsi dislike each other despite being extremely close genetically.  

If America is to become a melting pot its citizens need to have a collection of core commonalties that binds them together.  Sharing a common language, and embracing some common traditions are a huge way.  If each group continues to use its native language and only observe its native cultures it creates a Balkinization of the country.  Speaking from experience in many parts of the USA it is extremely difficult to function if you don't speak Spanish.  Miami and some areas of Houston in particular. 

[tpazzi]

1 hour ago, Thomas J said:

While multi-lingual may sound good, let me challenge you.  Fire, rescue, or police are at the scene of a disaster and shouting emergency instructions.  Do they shout them out in 5, 6, 7 languages

Come to Miami.  The city operates in Spanish. There are pockets that speak only Brazilian Portuguese and other areas where it's Haitian Creole.  There is also a growing Russian presence and French-speaking Canadians have been coming for the winters to South Broward county for decades.

 

I used to work with the trauma management agency in South Florida. Amazingly (tic) all the fires got put out and EMS staff could always communicate with the patients/passengers.  

 

The point is that it is up to the government to operate in a way that is effective given the realities of it's population's demographics, culture, languages, etc.  Foreign tourism, whether long term or short term, is a reality for Miami and many US areas as well.  That is a reality which demands adequate multi-lingual and multi-cultural infrastructure and it seems sufficient to support the sizable  population on permanent immigrants as well.

[Thomas J]

1 minute ago, tpazzi said:

The point is that it is up to the government to operate in a way that is effective given the realities of it's population's demographics, culture, languages, etc. 

I understand that all countries operate despite having people from different cultures.  However that does not dismiss the importance of a "common language"   Just look at the current situation in healthcare where by law U.S. hospitals must provide language assistance to those who don't speak English.  At what point does it just become ridiculous.  There are 7,500 languages.  It seems to make more sense to make every permanent resident of a country speak a common language so they can effectively communicate with each other rather than make every provider in a country responsible to learn to communicate in upwards of 7,500 languages. 

https://www.indemandinterpreting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/InDemand-Interpreting-Trends-risk-1.pdf

 

[Rimmer]

A troll post in giant oversized fonts has been removed.

 

A series of troll and misleading posts have also been removed

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Thomas J said:

I understand that all countries operate despite having people from different cultures.  However that does not dismiss the importance of a "common language"   Just look at the current situation in healthcare where by law U.S. hospitals must provide language assistance to those who don't speak English.  At what point does it just become ridiculous.  There are 7,500 languages.  It seems to make more sense to make every permanent resident of a country speak a common language so they can effectively communicate with each other rather than make every provider in a country responsible to learn to communicate in upwards of 7,500 languages. 

https://www.indemandinterpreting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/InDemand-Interpreting-Trends-risk-1.pdf

 

America has had millions of non-English speaking people immigrate since its inception. Why is it now a problem?

[Thomas J]

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

America has had millions of non-English speaking people immigrate since its inception. Why is it now a problem?

Placeholder I don't know where you are from however I grew up in the USA.  Until the past twenty years the vast majority of people spoke English.  The USA has had immigrants from all over the world, Russian, German, Polish, Italian French, African, Spain etc.  However in the past the majority of the immigrants kept their native language but learned English.  Usually by the second generation the native language was limited or lost at all and English took over.  That is happening to a lesser degree today as now 15% of the population is Spanish and they can and do use Spanish exclusively.   Why is that a problem.  Well how about the schools, how does one teach if the classroom is made up of children all electing to retain their families native language.  How about jobs.  How is a company suppose to hire and function if their employee base is comprised of different speaking nationalities.  How about just general commerce.  How can businesses advertise, and market products efficiently if the country is made up of people who do not speak English.  Spanish is now such a large population group that in the stores you do see signs in multiple languages.  However as mentioned there are 7,500 languages.  Is a store suppose to have signs for each language?  How about a hospital, are they suppose to have on staff interpreters for each language.  

If i move to another country, I expect to accommodate to their language and culture not the other way around.  But perhaps you are not familiar with the tower of babel. 

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Thomas J said:

Placeholder I don't know where you are from however I grew up in the USA.  Until the past twenty years the vast majority of people spoke English.  The USA has had immigrants from all over the world, Russian, German, Polish, Italian French, African, Spain etc.  However in the past the majority of the immigrants kept their native language but learned English.  Usually by the second generation the native language was limited or lost at all and English took over.  That is happening to a lesser degree today as now 15% of the population is Spanish and they can and do use Spanish exclusively.    

Can you please stop making things up?

 

A majority of English-speaking Hispanics in the U.S. are bilingual

About six-in-ten U.S. adult Hispanics (62%) speak English or are bilingual, according to an analysis of the Pew Research Center’s 2013 National Survey of Latinos. Hispanics in the United States break down into three groups when it comes to their use of language: 36% are bilingual, 25% mainly use English and 38% mainly use Spanish. Among those who speak English, 59% are bilingual.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/24/a-majority-of-english-speaking-hispanics-in-the-u-s-are-bilingual/#:~:text=Hispanics in the United States,most likely to be bilingual.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Thomas J said:

Placeholder I don't know where you are from however I grew up in the USA.  Until the past twenty years the vast majority of people spoke English.  The USA has had immigrants from all over the world, Russian, German, Polish, Italian French, African, Spain etc.  However in the past the majority of the immigrants kept their native language but learned English.  Usually by the second generation the native language was limited or lost at all and English took over.

And that loss is a detriment to the nation:

The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual

Today, more of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual than monolingual. In addition to facilitating cross-cultural communication, this trend also positively affects cognitive abilities. Researchers have shown that the bilingual brain can have better attention and task-switching capacities than the monolingual brain, thanks to its developed ability to inhibit one language while using another. In addition, bilingualism has positive effects at both ends of the age spectrum: Bilingual children as young as seven months can better adjust to environmental changes, while bilingual seniors can experience less cognitive decline.

The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual (nih.gov)

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, Thomas J said:

Placeholder I don't know where you are from however I grew up in the USA.  Until the past twenty years the vast majority of people spoke English.  The USA has had immigrants from all over the world, Russian, German, Polish, Italian French, African, Spain etc.  However in the past the majority of the immigrants kept their native language but learned English.  Usually by the second generation the native language was limited or lost at all and English took over.  That is happening to a lesser degree today as now 15% of the population is Spanish and they can and do use Spanish exclusively.   Why is that a problem.  Well how about the schools, how does one teach if the classroom is made up of children all electing to retain their families native language.  How about jobs.  How is a company suppose to hire and function if their employee base is comprised of different speaking nationalities.  How about just general commerce.  How can businesses advertise, and market products efficiently if the country is made up of people who do not speak English.  Spanish is now such a large population group that in the stores you do see signs in multiple languages.  However as mentioned there are 7,500 languages.  Is a store suppose to have signs for each language?  How about a hospital, are they suppose to have on staff interpreters for each language.  

If i move to another country, I expect to accommodate to their language and culture not the other way around.  But perhaps you are not familiar with the tower of babel. 

I'm reminded of the fact that not long ago, aerodynamics "proved" that bees couldn't fly. Eventually it got figured out.  But until then were bees supposed to be grounded?

New York City is a huge melting pot where all kinds of nationalities and languages are to be found. Yet somehow, it's functioning. So what's the point of producing proofs that are contradicted by reality?

Edited December 5, 2020 by placeholder