George W. Bush was many things as president. Among his efforts was perhaps the last real attempt at reforming US immigration laws. In 2007 his administration tried to create a “path to citizenship” for the estimated twelve million people living in the US without government permission. This proposed law failed in Congress and Obama became president. Obama was famed for protecting around 750,000 “dreamers” from deportation, but at the same time his administration deported more people than any previous presidency. In fact, it is estimated that Obama deported around three million people, about a million more than Bush. Trump’s presidency was always marked by its relationship to immigration. He declared his campaign with a speech insulting Mexicans who came to the US. Some of his early actions included prohibiting people from Muslim-majority countries from entering the US and building a wall. Most famously, his administration instituted a policy that systematically separated children from their parents at the border. He defended himself from the “kids in cages” reputation by saying correctly that Obama’s administration had built the cages. While it is true that Obama had done the construction, Trump achieved, all on his own, a policy that Reilly Frye recently argued should be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.
Biden’s presidency begins tomorrow, and The Washington Post reports that the first (half) day will not just be remembered for people taking oaths over bibles while protected by thousands of soldiers, but also a proposal to overhaul the country’s immigration laws. A few highlights:
Government policy and law towards these millions of people living in the US has long seemed ruled more by spreadsheet than humanity. The fact that Biden has chosen immigration to be the first policy to receive attention brings hope that rather than numbers, people will form the crux of decision making.
Here, one of the better uses I have seen for Trump's monstrosity:
Biden’s presidency begins tomorrow, and The Washington Post reports that the first (half) day will not just be remembered for people taking oaths over bibles while protected by thousands of soldiers, but also a proposal to overhaul the country’s immigration laws. A few highlights:
- An “eight-year pathway, which would put millions of qualifying immigrants in a temporary status for five years and then grant them a green card once they meet certain requirements such as a background check and payment of taxes. They would be able to apply for citizenship three years later”.
- “Beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — which granted key protections for ‘dreamers’ — and the temporary protected status program for migrants from disaster-ravaged nations could apply for a green card immediately.”
- Biden will reportedly also issue an order that repeals the Trump ban on people entering the US from several majority-Muslim countries.
Government policy and law towards these millions of people living in the US has long seemed ruled more by spreadsheet than humanity. The fact that Biden has chosen immigration to be the first policy to receive attention brings hope that rather than numbers, people will form the crux of decision making.
Here, one of the better uses I have seen for Trump's monstrosity:
Seesaws at the border let children on both sides of the fence play with each other. This is beautiful and sad at the same time. pic.twitter.com/geC9ojhfvf
— Laura Martínez® (@miblogestublog) July 30, 2019
