Wow, even for the Biden-Harris Administration which has been severely underrated on immigration issues IMO, this seems like a BFD and an amazing development for the newly protected migrants. President Biden has granted Temporary Protected Status to an additional 470,000 recently arrived Venezuelan migrants:
During a call with reporters, Biden officials said they would also fast track work permits for other newcomers and expand a conditional release program for families that uses GPS monitoring and curfews for migrants awaiting a decision on their asylum claims.
This is just the latest compassionate (and practical) policy response from Biden-Harris, who have developed a strong patchwork of diverse, creative solutions to vastly expand legal immigration using executive authority alone, since congressional Republicans continue to refuse to act. They do not get anywhere near enough credit (even from Democrats) for their executive policies. They have already expanded legal pathways for hundreds of thousands fleeing violence, authoritarianism and poverty, and they are just getting started. Take this NYT article from April, “Biden Opens a New Back Door on Immigration”, for example:
By the end of 2023, about 360,000 Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians are expected to gain admission through a similar private sponsorship initiative introduced in January to stem unauthorized crossings at the southern border — more people than were issued immigrant visas from these countries in the last 15 years combined.
I, for one, am so thankful once again for President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the entire cabinet and staffs doing all this heroic work. These programs are not only helping migrants make a better life for themselves and their families, but helping America try to start living up to our ideals and making up for lost time. But that’s not all. The most significant impact of this monumental win for migrants may be on inflation and the economy. Maybe that will satisfy the idiotic media and QOP racists in a way that basic human compassion and decency doesn’t?
In fact earlier today, one of those articles that reminds me POLITICO isn’t always terrible — entitled “The Fed’s surprise ally in the fight against inflation” — has some fascinating insights into how higher legal immigration under Biden is being increasingly cited as lowering inflation, by relieving severe shortages throughout the labor market:
Jennie Murray, president of the National Immigration Forum, pointed to a variety of bureaucratic moves that have also boosted immigration, such as expanding special visas for U.S. allies in Afghanistan, allowing Indian immigrants to stay in the country when applying to renew their H1-B visas, more refugees, and expanded asylum for people from certain Central American countries.
More legal migration is simply a win-win for us all. By now it’s very obvious that our status as an immigrant magnet is one of our top economic advantages over China and others in the long run, especially when contemplating the demographic cliff China is about to face as a result of decades of catastrophic family policies. That’s in addition to being the morally right thing to do. Thank you President Biden for taking this action, please keep it up and expand further!