U.S. citizen considering filing for Parents or Siblings–do it now!

If you are United States citizen considering filing an immigration petition for your parents or siblings, it may be time to do so now. President Trump and his advisors have been angling for ways to cut down on family petitions, using terms like “chain migration.” The term has been coined to denigrate the type of immigrants coming in today. They are not white Europeans. News reports indicate that termination of some family petition is on the table. Other items in the leaked plan include:

• $25 billion in border-wall funding;
• an end to the diversity visa lottery that provided a way into the country for many people from developing (or to use the president’s term, “shithole”) countries;
• a restriction of family-based immigration (the program would be limited to spouses and minor children of people already in the country–see above);
• and significantly enhanced enforcement resources for non-border activities. This last item, suggesting a plan to step up deportations, was a bit of a nasty surprise for pro-immigration advocates.

While we do not know what will ultimately become law, it is important to take advantage of this law while it is still available.