Biden Offers Work Permits to Immigrant Victims of Crime

The Biden Administration is expediting temporary work permit applications for thousands of undocumented immigrants, who are also victims of crimes. It is part of Biden’s proposal to improve and repair the U.S. immigration system.

The Backlog of Applications For U-Visas
The immigration system has been overwhelmed for a few years. There are millions of new, pending applications, with each applicant hoping to escape dangerous conditions. Of them, 270,000 submitted in 2020, according to Yahoo News.

Now, immigrants are waiting to hear back from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Right now, most are on a five-year waitlist for temporary work visas, even with the help of an immigration lawyer in Los Angeles.

The U.S. Grants 10,000 U Visas Annually
U visas were established in 2000 as part of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act to help victims of crimes obtain temporary legal status to escape hardships like:

• Domestic violence
• Sexual assault
• Gang activity
• Human trafficking

In exchange, immigrants agree to work with law enforcement to prosecute their offenders. Unlike other visas, there is an annual limit of 10,000. But families shouldn’t have to wait years for those protections or to achieve legal status and citizenship. On June 14, the administration announced the following message in a policy memo:

“Due to drastic increases in the volume of U nonimmigrant petitions and a growing backlog awaiting placement on the waiting list or final adjudication,” the USCIS will begin speeding up the process for specific cases. Since the announcement, the policy has been in effect with Immigration Services.

Biden’s Promises to Immigrants

In addition to Biden’s announcement, he has proposed other plans for immigrants through a massive reform effort. It would help millions establish a foundation in the U.S. Here are a few to look out for, according to Yahoo News:

• The American Dream and Promise Act would grant citizenship to over 2.7 million individuals that arrived in the U.S. as kids or have temporary status.
• The administration would help millions of immigrants become citizens and boost domestic products by $1.7 trillion.
• Surge wages by $4,300 over five years and $11,800 in 10 years.

Why Hire an Immigration Lawyer from Grey Law?
David Grey provides experienced representation to safeguard your rights through the immigration process. In the past year, COVID-19 has drastically impacted citizenship in the U.S. We have adjusted and acted accordingly based on new restrictions and regulations.

For a free case review, give us a call at 323-622-1764 or email info@greylaw.com.