President-Elect Biden Discusses Immigration Policy

Presidential candidates promise many things when running their campaign for president. The 2020 elections were no different. But this time, the promises Joe Biden made definitely caught the attention of immigrant communities in the U.S.

Since Trump was inaugurated in 2017, U.S. immigration has seen what can only be described as an attack on the legal immigration system. Some have even concluded that Trump has spread more hatred of immigrants than any other American in history. 

So, when Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris (the daughter of two immigrants) as his running mate and started making promises of comprehensive immigration reform, U.S. immigrants sat to attention. 

With the U.S. election results now becoming clear, it is vital to understand what happened in the 2020 U.S. elections and its impact on U.S. immigration policy. Let’s take a look. 

What Was the Outcome of the 2020 U.S. Election?

The 2020 U.S. elections caused quite a buzz with Trump and Biden running neck and neck for the presidency seat until the very end. In the end, Pennsylvania flipped, and Biden prevailed with 290 electoral college votes and 76,385,259 votes in total. 

Although Trump has already started legal action for votes to be recounted, as it now stands, Joe Biden is the President-Elect of the United States. 

What Does This Mean for U.S. Immigration Policy?

The Trump administration caused great uncertainty and frustration for the immigrant community in the U.S. At every turn, new obstacles, rules, and restrictive immigration policies were introduced to suppress the number of foreign workers or immigrants allowed in the U.S. 

With Joe Biden now stepping into the presidential seat, U.S. immigrants can expect many changes. Biden has, after all, promised some serious immigration reform. Let’s take a closer look at a few of Biden’s plans on immigration.  

H1B Visas

President-elect Biden has promised to increase the number of visas available to skilled foreign workers. This includes increasing the number of H1B visas made available each year. Not only will the number increase, but Biden is planning to eliminate the country cap on H1B visas as well. 

Under the H1B country cap, only a certain number of H1B visas are made available to skilled foreign workers from specific countries. This severely limits the opportunities for immigrants from India and China, for example, as most H1B applicants apply from these countries. The increase in H1B visas available and eliminating the country cap will ensure Indian and Chinese applicants have broader opportunities to work in the U.S. 

A wage-based allocation process for H1B visas is also in the Biden pipeline. The Biden team plans to work with the U.S. Congress to ensure the employment of skilled foreign workers in the U.S. aligns with local labor requirements. Importantly, it intends to do so without the changes undermining the wages of immigrants or the U.S. workforce. 

As a final cherry on the cake, Biden has also promised to resume work permits for H1B visa holders’ spouses (H4 visa holders).

Employment-Based Green Cards

The H1B country cap isn’t the only limitation that will be eliminated. Biden has promised to evaluate the total number of employment-based green cards made available each year. Currently, only 140 000 employment-based green cards are available annually. 

Biden also wants to establish a system that is more responsive to the demands and needs of the U.S. labor market. He wants to align the number of employment-based green cards made available with the state of the U.S. employment rate. The ultimate goal will be for domestic employers to have an opportunity to meet their demand for skilled foreign labor as and when they require. 

Family-Based Green Cards

Under the Biden administration, family members and U.S. immigrants will be reunited once again. Many family members wait for ages to receive their green cards sponsored by their U.S. citizen relative. Biden is planning to issue a temporary non-immigrant visa to these relatives until they receive their permanent visa. 

Under this program, spouses and children of green card holders will also be deemed immediate relatives. They won’t be subject to the caps that apply to family-based green cards. When parents immigrate, they will also be allowed to bring their minor children with them. 

F1 Visas

In addition to immigrant workers and family members, there will also be a few benefits for international students studying in the U.S. For international students on the F1 visa, Biden plans to issue green cards once they graduate from a U.S. doctoral program. Biden wants to keep these highly-trained workers in the U.S. so they can support the U.S. competitiveness. 

Ph.D. graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs will also benefit. STEM Ph.D. graduates will no longer have to be subject to any caps!

Conclusion

There is renewed hope for U.S. immigrants, Dreamers, and international students as President-Elect Joe Biden takes charge. Immigrants can expect more and more opportunities to open up in the U.S. and relief in the suppression experienced under the Trump administration. 

Biden is not only planning changes to the country-wide immigration program but is even planning to provide for region-based demand for foreign workers. Counties or cities will be able to petition for additional immigrant visas if it supports the local economic development. You can read more about these plans here.

The possibilities are endless as the U.S. enters a new era under Biden’s leadership. Joe Biden’s victory is truly a victory for U.S. immigration. 

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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