Impact of the Recent US Immigration Policies on Local and Overseas Students

The 64^th president of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has inherited an administration working towards anti-immigration policies from the beginning of their term. We know that Donald Trump, his predecessor was keen on reducing migration to the country. He believed that immigrants would eat up US resources, which would have adverse effects on US citizens. Hence he wanted to build a wall around the US – Mexico border to curtail unauthorized immigration. His other policies also made immigration to the US difficult for students from other countries. Joe Biden does not share similar views and is already working towards the last five years’ overturning policies.

The United States of America is considered to be a country of infinite opportunity. People from South American countries engulfed by the drug war often pay hefty amounts to get safe passage into the states. Also, people from Middle Eastern countries where civil unrest and terrorism are common to apply to enter the United States to live a peaceful life. The United States has always been a welcoming country where anybody can start fresh irrespective of their previous nationality.

Anti-immigration policies of Donald Trump

From the beginning of his political career, Donald Trump was extremely clear about his feelings towards immigrants. The main objective of his administration was to control illegal migration to the USA through the Mexico border. He funded the building of ‘The Wall’ along with US Mexico border for this purpose. Also, Donald Trump was against family-based immigration. This policy, which allowed US citizen to get their families back home into the states, was criticized heavily by the Republicans. The diversity visa lottery was also something the previous government wasn’t particularly fond of. All of this nicely summarized Donald Trump’s feelings towards immigrants in the USA.

Trump also heavily criticized the birthright citizen act, which allows all children born on US soil valid citizenship. The Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy (RAISE) Act in August 2017 was a result of the government’s anti-immigration sentiment. It reduced the number of green cards issued by almost fifty percent. Also, a maximum of 50,000 refugees could be admitted to the USA each year through the lottery system. After the Covid 19 pandemic broke out, the number of green cards issued further dropped significantly. Trump was also in favor of the mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Furthermore, he placed immense restrictions and travel ban from Muslim countries to the USA in recent times.

Implications of Donald Trump’s policies

Studies by experts show that the long-term effects of Trump’s Policies were yielding more bad than good. The cost of large-scale immigrant deportation would put an unnecessary fiscal strain on the government. In the long run, crackdown on immigration would reduce US GDP by 2% and jobs by 4.5%. Per capita income might increase slightly in the short run, but its effects would phase out over the years.  Also, building a 670-mile long border wall along the USA and Mexico would cost millions of dollars out of taxpayers’ pockets.

The stand of Joe Biden and democrats regarding immigration

In his campaign speeches, Joe Biden has addressed the Immigrant community of the USA many times. Immigrant families form the backbone of the US economy. Their Vice president candidate Kamala Harris is the daughter of immigrants. Equal opportunity for all has always been the motto of the USA. Joe Biden would try each day of this term as President in the Oval Office to make lives better for immigrant families.

He has openly criticized all of Trump’s policies. The work Joe Biden and Obama had done for the betterment of immigrants was undone in the past five years. He would again like to continue his efforts to hold up the ethics and values the United States stands for.

Recent immigration policies signed by Joe Biden

During his first few days in the Oval office, Joe Biden quickly overturned Donald Trump’s policies. Using his executive powers, Biden ended the travel ban imposed on Muslim countries. People from war stuck nations can again apply for safe passage into the states. He also wished to pave the way for non-documented immigrants residing in the country to gain citizenship in the USA. This will be extremely beneficial to the large undocumented population, applying for jobs, housing and benefits. Biden also overturned Trump’s wish to eliminate immigrants from the US census. He also put a halt to the wall being built along the southern US border.  A memo has also been issued to protect undocumented adults’ working rights who were brought into the USA as immigrant children. Biden’s actions were applauded by leaders of democracies across the globe. It most certainly marks a new day in the history of the USA. The anti-immigration stand of Trump’s USA over the last five years has finally ceased to exist. Immigrants have high hopes that the new government would protect their rights and livelihoods in the United States.

The US Citizenship Act of 2021 has been designed to start a new era of USA immigration policies. It will help immigrants already living in the United States of America for over five years to apply for a valid green card. Green card is the official citizen proof in the USA. After adequate security and tax checks, applicants will obtain their green cards in a short time.

Immigration reform is one of the main aims of the new US government. It is working hard and quick to overturn the policies signed by the previous President. Biden also signed to join the Paris agreement as soon as he came into office. We can hope that the future is bright for people who wish to immigrate to the USA. A new era is about to begin in the United States, which is opposite to the last five years. Lenient policies that adhere to human rights will make immigrants feel safer in the USA under Biden.