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The Home Office has launched a scheme to create a digital border as part of its plans for immigration reform.

The governments New plan for immigration: legal migration and border control sets out how it aims to achieve a fully digital end-to-end experience in all aspects of immigration and border crossings.

Over the next four years, we will implement transformational change for everyone who interacts with the immigration system and crosses the border, said the strategy document.

We will deliver a fully end-to-end digital customer experience for people from the way they apply online, how they prove their identity, how they provide evidence that they meet the relevant criteria, to how they receive and use proof of their status to cross the border and demonstrate any entitlements in the UK.

This includes delivering a digital system allowing for online evidence of immigration status.

In addition to reforming the immigration routes, we are continuing to deliver a digital system by removing the use of physical documents to demonstrate status, the document said. We will make further improvements to how applicants access and prove their immigration status to others.

This system has already been put in place for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals to apply for the right to remain in the UK post-Brexit.

We will continue to improve the online immigration status service, and we will enhance our support offer for those who need assistance to use this service, the document said.

We will be taking a phased approach as we move to a fully digital system. As part of this, we are looking at further ways to remove physical documents from the process and streamline the system, such as potentially removing the need for separate vignettes and biometric residence permits, taking out the cost and time for the user and the Home Office and improving security.

The government has a long-standing history with border IT. The Home Office originally launched ane-Borders programmein 2003, aiming to improve the use of information to track people across borders. The programme cost 830m and failed to deliver.

It then launched a replacement programme, Digital Services at the Border (DSAB), in 2014. The original aim was for DSAB to be completed by March 2019, delivering three main systems: Advance Border Control, Border Crossing, and Advanced Freight Targeting Capability.

These would replace two legacy systems: Semaphore, which was delivered by IBM in 2004, and the 26-year-old Warnings Index system. However, during a programme reset in 2019, the Home Office made the decision to upgrade and improve Semaphore.

By March 2019, when the programme was due to be fully operational, only one of the three systems was in live operation Border Crossing and even that was only run as a pilot in up to eight ports.

The latest document said the Border Crossing system has now been piloted and is being rolled out nationally.

The improved capability enables improvements in the operational process at the border, delivering customer and security benefits, it said. By summer 2021, all Border Force staff will have the ability, if required, to check at the PCP [primary control point] whether an individual has applied for, or been granted, status under the EU Settlement Scheme, should they need to do so.

The [border crossing] capability will be extended to the e-gates as they are upgraded during 2021. This modernised system will also bolster our networks with partner agencies when one of their persons of interest is encountered at the border.

The government will also put in place an electronic travel authorisation system, similar to the USs ESTA system as part of a wider universal permission to travel requirement, which will mean everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) will need to seek permission in advance of travel.

To deliver this system, the government is planning to work with academia and technology suppliers on creating innovative solutions for the border, and develop border standards for technology and infrastructure.

In a speech at a conference hosted by liberal conservative think-tank Bright Blue, home secretary Priti Patel said: The UKs immigration system is broken, and we will fix it.

Our new, fully digital border will provide the ability to count people in and count people out of the country. We will have a far clearer view of who is here and whether they should be, and we will act when they are not.

Read the rest here:
UK to have digital border by end of 2025 - ComputerWeekly.com

Congressional Democrats and the Biden White House have made no secret of their interest in passing a sweeping immigration reform package. Among the biggest hurdles, of course, is the same obstacle to passing nearly all legislation: Senate Republicans will try to block any reform bill, and coming up with a 60-vote supermajority is practically impossible.

But what if the Democratic majority could circumvent a GOP filibuster by using the budget reconciliation process -- the same method the party used to pass the COVID relief package?

In early April, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suggested Dems are prepared to do exactly that. Two weeks later, a group of Hispanic lawmakers met privately with President Joe Biden, and after the discussion, Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) told Politico that Biden told the group he generally "supports passing certain immigration reforms by reconciliation if we can't get the 10 Republican votes."

Last week, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the #3 Democrat in the Senate leadership, raised a few eyebrows with a press release in which she said, "After years of working to reach agreement on a solution, it's clear to me we can't miss the opportunity to act in this critical moment. We need to look at every legislative path possible to get comprehensive immigration reform done -- including through reconciliation."

It's against this backdrop that the New York Times reported overnight that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is "quietly considering" the procedural gambit.

Mr. Schumer has privately told members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in recent weeks that he is "actively exploring" whether it would be possible to attach a broad revision of immigration laws to President Biden's infrastructure plan and pass it through a process known as budget reconciliation, according to two people briefed on his comments.

It's worth emphasizing that this would likely be Plan B for Democratic leaders. Plan A is the ongoing negotiating process underway among a bipartisan group of 15 senators, exploring the possibility of a compromise agreement.

Such a deal appears unlikely. Indeed, the Times' report added that observers have watched the negotiations "drag on with little agreement in sight." There's no great mystery as to why.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), one of the 15 senators involved in the bipartisan talks, said, "Before we can do anything meaningful on immigration, we're going to have to deal with the current crisis at the border."

If this seems like hollow rhetoric, it's not your imagination. For much of the last two decades, conservative Republicans have said there's a "crisis" that needs to be resolved before GOP lawmakers will consider reform legislation. And every time border security is strengthened, those same Republicans insist it's not enough.

Indeed, let's not forget that GOP members promised then-President Barack Obama that they'd consider a comprehensive immigration solution if he vastly improved border security. The Democrat held up his end of the bargain; the Senate passed the "Gang of Eight" bill; but House Republicans ended up killing the reform effort anyway, offering nothing as an alternative. (See Chapter 6 of my book.)

The GOP position has a Zeno's paradox-like problem: There's no way to ever actually reach the point at which Republicans are satisfied that the "crisis" has been fully resolved. As Greg Sargent noted this morning, "Does anybody imagine there will come a point when Republicans will say, 'Okay, Biden's totally got the border under control now, so let's get serious about working with Democrats on legalizing a lot of immigrants'? Of course not."

But then there's an entirely different question to consider: Is it even procedurally possible to pursue immigration reform through the budget reconciliation process, which is supposed to be limited to matters of taxes and spending? I've been skeptical, but the Times' report included an important detail from 16 years ago that I'd forgotten about:

A team of immigration activists and researchers as well as congressional aides is exploring the question, digging into the best way to present their case to [Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough].... They have found past precedents, including one from 2005, in which changes to immigration policy were allowed as part of a budget-reconciliation package, and they are tallying up the budgetary effects of the immigration proposals which total in the tens of billions. Researchers have dredged up supportive quotes from Republicans from 2005, when they won signoff for including a measure to recapture unused visas for high-skilled workers in a reconciliation package.

There's no shortage of unanswered questions related to process, politics, and procedure, and it'll take a while before the answers come into focus. But for now, it's clear that Democratic leaders are committed to the effort, and the door to immigration reform is not yet closed. Watch this space.

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Democrats eye a creative approach to passing immigration reform - MSNBC

US President Joe Biden has urged Congress to pass the comprehensive immigration reform, asserting that immigrants have done so much for America during the pandemic as they have throughout the country's history.

On the day one of his presidency, Biden sent a comprehensive immigration bill to Congress which proposes major overhauls to the system, including granting legal status and a path to citizenship to tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants and other groups and reduce the time that family members must wait outside the US for the much-sought green cards.

Immigrants have done so much for America during the pandemic as they have throughout our history. The country supports immigration reform. Congress should act, Biden said in his maiden address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday.

Immigration has always been essential to America. Let's end our exhausting war over immigration. For more than 30 years, politicians have talked about immigration reform and done nothing about it. It's time to fix it, he said.

He said that on day one of his presidency, he kept his commitment and sent a comprehensive immigration bill to Congress.

"If you believe we need a secure border pass it. If you believe in a pathway to citizenship pass it. If you actually want to solve the problem I have sent you a bill, now pass it, he said amidst applause from the lawmakers.

We also have to get at the root of the problem of why people are fleeing to our southern border from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador. The violence. The corruption. The gangs. The political instability. Hunger. Hurricanes. Earthquakes. When I was Vice President, I focused on providing the help needed to address these root causes of migration, he said.

This, he said, helped keep people in their own countries instead of being forced to leave.

Our plan worked. But the last administration shut it down. I'm restoring the programme and asked Vice President (Kamala) Harris to lead our diplomatic efforts. I have absolute confidence she will get the job done. Now, if Congress won't pass my plan let's at least pass what we agree on, he said.

Biden said the Congress needs to pass legislation this year to finally secure protection for the Dreamers the young people who have only known America as their home.

And, permanent protections for immigrants on temporary protected status who come from countries beset by manmade and natural made violence and disaster.

As well as a pathway to citizenship for farmworkers who put food on our tables, he said.

New York immigrant rights advocates, led by the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), praised Biden's renewed commitment to a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and essential workers.

In a statement, the NYIC also double-downed on their call for a transformation of the country's immigration system, a promise of the Biden campaign.

FWD.us President Todd Schulte said that in his address Biden made clear the urgent need to provide millions of deserving immigrants with a desperately needed pathway to citizenship that will keep families across the country safe and together.

Millions of Dreamers, TPS (Temporary Protected Status) holders, farmworkers, and other undocumented immigrants have been vital to our nation's continued health response and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"They have deep roots in our communities as our neighbours, colleagues and friends, and nearly 6 million US citizen children live with an undocumented family member. Undocumented people are essential to our nation in every sense of the word, he said.

Earlier in the day, a coalition of immigration advocacy groups announced a new USD 50 million campaign aimed at pressuring lawmakers from both parties to pass a pathway to citizenship.

The effort includes a USD 30 million commitment from the We Are Home campaign led by advocacy organisations, as well as a USD 20 million commitment from a handful of other immigration groups including FWD.us.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Joe Biden urges US Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform - Business Standard

While the Biden administrations take on immigration initially seemed to be the opposite of his predecessors, its a bit more nuanced. Our Practical Law attorney-editors discuss what that means for attorneys and employers.

Navigating intricate changes may make an already-complex practice area even more complicated. From humanitarian issues likes refugees to family unification to employment at all skills levels, immigration law has presented challenges to the U.S. practically and politically from our very roots to the present day. Many presidential administrations have attempted fixes to our immigration system, with limited success.

A compromise on immigration has been out of reach for decades. One reason for the limitations is the breadth of issues encompassed by immigration and the complex, seemingly unrelated interests represented by those issues. Any chance to achieve the long-sought goal for comprehensive immigration reform revolves around building enough unity in important common interests to have all parties meet somewhere in the middle. Essentially, comprehensive reform likely requires stronger enforcement in balance to stronger immigration benefits.

To hear the latest on immigration and other current topics of interest, attend our webcast.

The Biden administrations first 100 days of action on immigration is clearest seen in comparison to the Trump administration that preceded it. A major component of the Trump administrations immigration goals was to limit immigration. Most of President Bidens early actions on immigration have been to rescind or repudiate the policies introduced and embedded by President Trumps administration throughout the immigration system. That includes rescinding President Trumps key executive actions on immigration and the administrations rule redefining the entry and admission bar for public charges.

The Department of Homeland Security and its sub-agencies responsible for immigration (principally U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)) have also rescinded more restrictionist policies and reverted to or introduced policies that are more benefits-oriented.

Ultimately, the more pro-immigration policies are likely to benefit employers that sponsor foreign workers. However, there are warning signs that the Biden administration may retain or introduce rules or policies that are more restrictionist or enforcement-minded than expected. For example, the administration retained the high premium processing fee introduced in 2020 (more than double what it was in 2018) and delayed, but did not withdraw, rules to redefine H-1B selection by wage level and a DOL rule increasing prevailing wages for immigration matters. Employers and their counsel must remain engaged advocates for immigration.

To learn more about evolving immigration policies and other matters impacting lawyers and employers, watch our webcast, A conversation with Practical Law attorney-editors on some of the impact of Bidens first 100 days.

The rest is here:
Immigration & the first 100 days of Biden's administration | Legal Blog - Westlaw Insider - Westlaw Insider

There's a lot of talk these days about police reform. In the wake of George Floyd's death and Derek Chauvin's guilty verdict, the issue has perhaps never been more pressing The Senate is currently considering the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

But while there is some partisan tension over what measures to take next, there's an easy way to support police officers that shouldn't be controversial at all: immigration reform.

An improved immigration system can unite our country. It can also help make our local law enforcement more effective and our communities safer. We must unite around the crucial task of bringing law-abiding, undocumented immigrants into the legal immigration system.

Over the course of my career with the Seattle Police Department, I experienced firsthand how policies and programs of inclusion help to build safe and healthy neighborhoods that help our entire city thrive. Whether through demographic advisory councils that channel community voices on public safety issues, through our Immigrant Family Institute that brings police and communities together to learn from each other, or our Women's Refugee Institute, through which female officers empower women to become leaders in the community, our commitment to engagement built trust with our immigrant communities, strengthening both perceptually and empirically the public safety of our city.

After nearly 30 years in law enforcement, I can tell you that police want to do what's right for our communities. But we are often inhibited by policies that don't work. A major problem with our current system, for example, is that undocumented immigrants don't feel comfortable calling law enforcement for help or reporting crimes.

Consider Wilson Rodriguez, a father of three who called 911 in 2018 to report someone possibly attempting to break into his home. He was put into ICE custody. Stories like these silence others like him. But law enforcement can best serve our local communities when we are able to build trust with the people we serve.

Under our current system, the injured suffer without medical care, case-breaking tips on violent criminals are never supplied, and underground drug trafficking and other enterprises continue to thrive.

Federal authorities should permit undocumented immigrants already living and working in the U.S. to apply for a legal, provisional status while they work to earn permanent residence. Most immigrants would "come out of the shadows" if this were an option. And truly dangerous criminals could no longer use the fear of deportation to threaten them into silence.

This reform would also allow members of law enforcement to focus their time and resources on these dangerous criminalsthose bringing drugs, guns and violence into our communities. Most law enforcement should not be tasked with apprehending and removing immigrants who have no criminal background.

We know the statistics that show that undocumented immigrants are actually less likely to commit crimes than U.S. citizens. And yet, the task of identifying illegal immigrants has, in recent years, trickled down to members of state and local law enforcement, whose main job should really be the safety of their communities.

Consider that in 2018, U.S. attorneys prosecuted more immigration violations than drug-related crimes or violent crimes. What does this say about where current policy has pushed our priorities?

Moreover, this legalization process would benefit our cities' economies. Mass deportation of the 11 million undocumented workers currently in this country would not only be impossible but harmful to American citizens. Many jobs in agriculture, food processing, transportation and construction are filled by undocumented immigrants because these businesses can't find enough U.S. citizens to work there, and there aren't enough permanent visas or guest worker visas being offered to hire immigrants legally. A report by Scientific American detailed the efforts to which these businesses, like larger farms, are going to attract legal employees. Even as they offer higher wages and benefits like 401(k) plans, health insurance, and subsidized housing, it's not enough.

Replacing these illegal pathways for immigration with legal ones will help local businesses hire legal employees. And it has long been known that jobs deter crime.

Law enforcement should be supported in treating all people with dignity and compassion and in focusing on what we know will make our communities safer. Reforming our immigration system by offering a path to legal residence will help local law enforcement build positive, productive relationships with the communities they serve.

Law-abiding immigrants already living and working in the U.S. should be given the opportunity to legalize their status after meeting stringent requirements, like paying taxes and fines and passing criminal background checks.

We are not divided on this issue, nor should we be. It's win-win. Let's make it happen.

Carmen Best served as the chief of police in Seattle for 28 years.

The views in this article are the writer's own.

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Want to Support the Police? Push for Immigration Reform | Opinion - Newsweek