Yearend blow for immigrants

Just as we are to start and welcome a new year, hopeful immigrants coming into the US have been handed down a couple of not-so-good news. First, Mr. Trump, in the waning days of his administration has extended certain restrictions on legal migration and on temporary work visas. As you may recall, this ban was imposed first in April, extended in June and now, per his order, will set to expire on March 31. Behind this ban reimposition is the reasoning that the pandemic has greatly impacted the labor market of the United States and that the health of the American people is of paramount importance. This rationalization is contrary to the president’s pronouncements that the economy is very robust and has been recovering very quickly and that the availability of vaccines and other therapeutics against COVID-19 will lead us out of the tunnel.

Second, a federal judge has sided with the Trump administration in requiring would-be immigrants to secure health insurance within 30 days and to pay for their own medical expenses. The problem I have for this rule is that a majority of immigrants will not be able to fulfill this mandatory requirement. Medical insurance premiums are not only expensive but also very complicated. I would be very curious to see the mechanisms under which this rule will be implemented considering the complexity of the US healthcare system.

Against these twin developments, the prevailing hope is that a new president is to be sworn in. Mr. Biden has pledged to undo the immigration policies of Mr. Trump even during his first day in office. Let us see how this goes in his administration.

* * *

I pray for each and every one of you in this new year. May you and your families have a healthy, safe, and blessed 2021.