Schumer Actively Exploring Granting Citizenship to Millions of Illegal Immigrants Without GOP Support – Yahoo News
The Guardian
Many foreign-born workers have lost their jobs to the pandemic and strict new visa rules have raised the threat of removal Losing your job is a big deal, and if youre an immigrant it also means losing your status, so its an even bigger deal. Photograph: Hanna Kuprevich/Alamy When Swaraj lost his job amid the recession last year, it triggered a ticking time bomb. Suddenly, he had to either find a different employer to sponsor his visa or return to India, throwing away the life he had built during half a decade in the United States. Its not right, said Swaraj, who asked the Guardian to only use his first name to protect his career. If I lose my work status, I have to leave this country within 60 days. I felt like thats not correct. Swaraj messaged contacts on Linkedin, pored over applications and contacted to references. He tossed excess clothes in the recycling bin and sold his valuables a television, sofa, bed in case he had to move across the world during the crisis. Then, he found a new position. But months later, his room in Madison, Wisconsin, was still empty enough to hear echoes, and he continued to sleep on an air mattress, too wary to invest in replacement furniture. This is not your home, he said. So you can be kicked out any time. Swarajs experience is far from a one-off. From data analysts and software consultants to project engineers and molecular biologists, many foreigners with advanced degrees and specialized knowledge have been losing their jobs in America amid the pandemic. And because theyre only able to live and work legally in the US thanks to their H-1B status a coveted visa for skilled workers routine layoffs that arent their fault have the potential to completely upend their lives. Theres a whole lot of uncertainty and anxiety associated with losing your job, no matter who you are. But when youre an immigrant, that anxiety and uncertainty is definitely compounded, said Jennifer Minear, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Losing your job is a big deal, and if youre an immigrant it also means losing your status, so its an even bigger deal, she added. As the economy foundered and millions of Americans struggled to make ends meet, the former president Donald Trump used immigrants as scapegoats, suspending H-1B visas through early 2021. Officials also unveiled sweeping new rules around the visa program, creating even more hurdles for potential candidates and employers. Swaraj lost an offer soon after because the company that had hired him couldnt comply. Today, I might feel secure, he said. Tomorrow, because of some political situation, things might just change overnight. And I just need to accept that fact. Already, H-1B holders live under precarious conditions where, when they lose employment, theyre only granted a 60-day grace period to find another qualifying role and re-up their visas. Otherwise, they have few viable options outside of leaving the country. Living in the United States without work authorization and trying to work off the books, under the table that doesnt tend to give you the standard of living that I think a lot of college-educated workers, wherever theyre from in the world, would want, said Julia Gelatt, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. A number of online posts about layoffs amid the economic downturn provides a glimpse into which foreign professionals have been impacted most over the last year. Many hold graduate degrees from American universities, and they often say theyre open to relocating anywhere in the US. One engineer wrote that what hurt the most was being rejected by hiring managers based on my visa status. Another warned that she only had 20 days left before packing everything along with my dreams. It has been roughly 48 hours since I found out that my role at Victorias Secret was affected by the company-wide restructuring, a design researcher wrote. It is tough, defeating, and soul-crushing. The more years that people spend in the US, the deeper the roots they tend to put down Julia Gelatt The H-1B visa program is supposed to offer a temporary avenue for highly educated professionals to work in the US for up to three years, or possibly six. But because the visas are privy to different caps than green cards, Indian and Chinese workers who represent the lions share of H-1B petitions get stuck in a long, byzantine queue for permanent residency. Recently backlogged Indian workers face an impossible wait of nine decades if they all could remain in the line, according to a 2020 report by the Cato Institute. More than 200,000 petitions filed for Indians could expire as a result of the workers dying of old age before they receive green cards. In the meantime, would-be immigrants stay legally by extending their temporary visas, despite the instability that represents. While they wait, they continue to make friends, start relationships, buy houses, join faith communities and have children. The more years that people spend in the United States, the deeper the roots they tend to put down, Gelatt said. It just becomes harder and harder to leave. Swaraj sometimes worries about what would happen if he marries his significant other, who is also on an H-1B visa, and they start a family together in the US. His memories from last year loom large, and for now, hes trying to live as minimalist a life as possible. But over the last five years, hes already started to put down roots. Friends are more like family now, and when he scrambled to come up with a way to stay legally, colleagues went out of their way to help him. I guess thats what I have gained in this country: people, he said. If I was working alone, and if I had no friends, I had no connections, I would have not made it. Like, as simple as that.
Go here to read the rest:
Schumer Actively Exploring Granting Citizenship to Millions of Illegal Immigrants Without GOP Support - Yahoo News
- Two Illegal Aliens with Lengthy Criminal Backgrounds Suspected in NYC Shooting - Federation for American Immigration Reform - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Calif. college to permit criticism of men in womens sports, illegal immigration to settle free speech suit - The College Fix - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Nationwide protests begin against Trumps illegal immigration crackdown, health care cuts - WKMG - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Federal agents conduct illegal-immigration hiring raid at northern AZ BBQ chain - The Arizona Republic - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Fmr Biden adviser roasted over NYT illegal immigration op-ed | RISING - The Hill - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- He opposes illegal immigration, but Gely won his heart - The Seattle Times - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration is causing uncertainty, ex-DNC official says - Fox News - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- ICE Del Rio, federal partner investigation results in the sentencing of an illegal alien from Honduras for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy -... - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Floridas Bid To Criminalize Illegal Immigration Entry Blocked By Supreme Court, For Now - Tampa Free Press - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- DHS, DOJ Streamline Process for Issuing Fines to Illegal Aliens - Federation for American Immigration Reform - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- He Opposes Illegal Immigration, but Gely Won His Heart - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Wave Of Illegal Immigration Cases Hits Texas, Over 300 Filed In One Week - Yahoo - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Court sees uptick in illegal immigration prosecutions: 'No one feels good in the courtroom.' - Buffalo News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Jerry Shenk: Illegal immigration: Look for the political interest - pottsmerc.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 'A Horrific Moral Failure': Campaigner Slams Labour And Tories Over Illegal Immigration - Yahoo - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump's remittance tax aims to slow illegal immigration by targeting the money flow - Fox News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- San Antonio man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for transporting 25 illegal aliens inside tanker trailer following ICE Eagle Pass, federal... - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Donald Trump shatters more border records with lowest illegal immigration numbers - Washington Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- We need cooperation between federal and state governments in stopping illegal immigration, expert says - Fox Business - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Weber County OKs accord with feds to help in the fight against illegal immigration - KSL News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trumps remittance tax aims to slow illegal immigration by targeting the money flow - wccsradio.com - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Weber County OKs accord with feds to help in the fight against illegal immigration - Yahoo News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Social Security insolvency could speed up with illegal immigration crackdown - Fox Business - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Not really our issue: Gulf Shores mayor speaks on illegal immigration raid - fox10tv.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Social Security insolvency could speed up with illegal immigration crackdown - MSN - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- HSI and FBI speak on illegal immigration raid at Gulf Shores High School - fox10tv.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Parents share story of loss, fight against illegal immigration at The White House - WCIA.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- HSI speaks on Gulf Shores High School illegal immigration raid - WBRC 6 News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Americans more concerned about nuclear Iran than illegal immigration, survey finds - Defense One - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson talks illegal immigration in Tampa - WMNF 88.5 FM - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- ICE and federal partners arrest 17 illegal aliens during worksite inspection in Bethlehem, Pa. - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- China ready to fight fentanyl, illegal immigration with US: top police chief - South China Morning Post - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- ICE Newark, law enforcement partners arrest illegal alien in New Jersey with extensive criminal history - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs... - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- ICE arrests 81 illegal aliens as part of joint federal law enforcement operation in Kentucky, of which 25 also charged with felony criminal offenses -... - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- ICE Columbus and US Marshals arrest Ecuadorian illegal alien wanted for murder - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- The rule of law and the crisis of illegal immigration - Christian Post - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- ICE Philadelphia supports large effort to remove more than 130 illegal aliens from central Asia - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement... - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- ICE Buffalo removes 2 criminal illegal aliens and foreign fugitives wanted for felonies in home country to Guatemala - ICE | U.S. Immigration and... - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Chairman Arrington Responds to CBO Report on Net Cost of Illegal Immigration - House Budget Committee (.gov) - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Under Patel, FBI heightens focus on violent crime, illegal immigration. Other threats abound, too - AP News - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Illegal Aliens Use Far More Taxpayer Funds Than They Contribute, CBO Confirms - Federation for American Immigration Reform - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Illegal Immigration, Lawlessness, And The Lefts America - The Daily Wire - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Under Patel, FBI heightens focus on violent crime, illegal immigration. Other threats abound, too - WPLG Local 10 - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Sunny Hostin insists its 'not illegal' to be undocumented during immigration discussion on 'The View' - Fox News - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Will Illegal Immigration Break the Nation Apart? - The Free Press - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Howie Carr: Jailhouse letter speaks volumes on illegal immigration - Boston Herald - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Mexican illegal alien sentenced to 11 years for smuggling 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine in truckload of cabbages following ICE Rio Grande Valley,... - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- South Texas stash house discovered by ICE Rio Grande Valley leads to the arrest of 16 illegal aliens - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement... - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Trump admin expanding border wall construction amid crackdown on illegal immigration - Fox News - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Opinion | Trump might become the most pro-illegal immigration president ever - The Washington Post - June 1st, 2025 [June 1st, 2025]
- Massive Scale of Chinese Illegal Immigration Threatens National Security - America First Policy Institute - June 1st, 2025 [June 1st, 2025]
- Emotions over Bostons illegal immigration protections boil over at mayoral debate - Boston Herald - June 1st, 2025 [June 1st, 2025]
- Tennessee rep says Nashville mayor's ICE policies amount to 'aiding and abetting illegal immigration' - Fox News - June 1st, 2025 [June 1st, 2025]
- Illegal immigration and asylum: are government pledges on track? - BBC - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- Rokita touts work opposing illegal immigration in trip to southern U.S. border - WFYI - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- Growing concern over massive growth in illegal immigration to the Balearics in "little boats" from North Africa - Majorca Daily Bulletin - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- Visa Overstays Now Drive 40% of Illegal Immigration as Indians with American Assets Face Costly Return Decisions - USA Herald - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- Arizona border, once the busiest in the nation for illegal immigration, goes quiet - The Arizona Republic - May 10th, 2025 [May 10th, 2025]
- House sends anti-illegal immigration bill to Ivey's desk, another to the Senate - 1819 News - May 10th, 2025 [May 10th, 2025]
- Illegal immigration, cockfighting arrests made in South Mississippi ICE bust - Yahoo - May 10th, 2025 [May 10th, 2025]
- Florida Gov DeSantis tangles with reporter over illegal immigration, tells her 'you seem to have no sympathy' - Fox News - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- Florida Gov DeSantis tangles with reporter over illegal immigration, tells her you seem to have no sympathy - WFIN - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- ICE and U.S. Border Patrol assist in local sex crime investigation involving previously deported illegal alien - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs... - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- White House touts 100-day illegal immigration crackdown after Biden 'unsecured the border on purpose' - Fox News - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- In a first-of-its-kind partnership between state and federal partners, ICE Miami and Florida law enforcement arrested nearly 800 illegal aliens this... - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- More than 990 Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth Week in April - Texas Border Business - May 2nd, 2025 [May 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Rep. Wilson urges people to call, threaten lawmakers over uptick in illegal immigration detentions - Fox News - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Why is the Church advocating illegal immigration? - Amityville Record - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Why sheriffs across Ohio are joining ICE in crackdown on illegal immigration - News 5 Cleveland WEWS - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Rachel Reeves must combine EU deals with cutting illegal immigration - The Times - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- The Washington Post Needs to Get its Facts Straight Regarding Illegal Aliens and Social Security - Federation for American Immigration Reform - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- 960 Illegal Aliens Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth Week in March - Texas Border Business - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Mayor Donna Deegan and others speak at press conference concerning Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Act - The Florida Times-Union - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- 960 Illegal Aliens Charged With Immigration-Related Crimes In A Week - RTTNews - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- Erdogans Turkey is Weaponizing Illegal Immigration Europe Must Wake Up - The Times of Israel - April 3rd, 2025 [April 3rd, 2025]
- U.S. Cracks Down on Illegal Immigration: Follow the Law and You Will Find Opportunity - US Embassy in Montenegro - USEmbassy.gov - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Deegan says she is reviewing illegal immigration bill before signing it. But councilman says shes making excuses - WJXT News4JAX - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Labour has changed precisely nothing on illegal immigration - The Telegraph - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Cleveland attorney says green card application pause 'has nothing to do with illegal immigration' - ideastream - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Sanders recognizes Trumps efforts on border, fentanyl: Nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate - The Hill - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]