Last November, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson introduced a new plan for handling the large amount of tech workers overseas looking to immigrate to the U.S. One specific change, referred to as “Modernizing the Employment-Based Immigrant Visa System,” has come under fire over the last few weeks following the leak of a secret memo from an undisclosed government official.
What Does This Mean For Immigrant Workers?
Currently, anyone seeking lawful employment in the United States must go through the lengthy I-140 visa process, which requires sponsorship from a U.S. employer and can take years to be completed. The changes which are allegedly set forth in this secret memo seek to fast-track this process. If these proposed changes are allowed to take effect, anyone who has an approved I-140 application for a period of one year will be able to obtain a green card.
In theory, this will help simplify and streamline things for the many tech companies who rely on foreign workers. The controversial part of the plan, however, involves undocumented immigrants. These changes will not require foreign workers to prove that they are lawful residents of the country; instead, they will only need to have an official government ID.
Will the Changes Take Effect?
These changes are currently going through the standard regulatory process for implementation, so it’s very possible that they will never actually take effect. However, the proposed plan underscores the importance of making changes to our immigration policy, as the current system is struggling to keep up with the requirements of our modern, globalized economy.
Trying to obtain a visa or green card? Call our Lake Charles immigration attorney at (337) 214-0670 today for experienced guidance.