Immigration News: Q1-2024
Throughout the first quarter of 2024, here are some top news impacting immigrants worldwide.
Federal Appeals Court Blocks Controversial Texas Migrant Law
A federal appeals court has halted the implementation of a controversial Texas immigration law following a recent Supreme Court ruling. The law would have empowered state officials to arrest and detain migrants suspected of entering the country unlawfully. Despite the Biden administration's objections, the divided Supreme Court had initially allowed Texas to enforce the law earlier in the week.
Indian Students Receive Most Student Visas in 2023
In other news, Indian students were the largest recipients of F-1 student visas in 2023, receiving a total of 130,839 visas, marking a 14% increase from the previous year. This trend marks the second consecutive year where Indian students received more student visas than those from any other country. Overall, 2023 saw a notable increase in the total number of F-1 visas issued, reaching nearly 446,000, the highest figure since 2016.
Biden Administration Cracks Down on Asylum Screening Process
According to recent data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), asylum screening interviews and rejections at the U.S.-Mexico border have skyrocketed in the last year, as part of the Biden administration’s tougher stance on border security.
DHS officials completed more than 115,000 “credible fear” interviews of asylum seekers between last May and February, but harsher asylum policies were still unable to keep up with the steady influx of migrants into the country during the same period. “We are maxing out the system, and it hasn’t kept pace with the increase,” said one DHS official.
U.S. Government Implements New Facial Recognition Rule for Migrants
Migrants without passports will now have to undergo facial recognition during airport security in order to board domestic flights in the U.S., under a new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) policy.
It is unclear when the new policy took effect, and immigrant advocacy groups say the change has caused confusion for many migrants traveling by plane for immigration court hearings. Some migrants have reported being denied boarding, as TSA officials were unable to match their identity to previous immigration records.
