There are many estimates of how many immigrants are living in the country outside the legal immigration system, but the widely accepted figure is 11 million people. Some of these people did not choose to come here, but were brought as children. Others never intended to remain here without a valid visa, but after they were unable to work within the legal immigration system, including filing for asylum, they fell off the grid but remained.
Overworked immigration officials are delaying on green cards
We have spoken extensively about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that President Obama started in 2012. This program allowed young people who were brought to the country outside of the immigration system to receive a work permit and a deferral from deportation. The program has worked well and many immigrants appreciate the work the president has done on behalf of this large group of immigrants (although many also don't think he has gone far enough), but it has also had some unforeseen consequences.
Even with immigration reform stalled, immigrants are winning
Our blog has talked quite extensively about the overhaul of the immigration system that President Obama has been working so hard to get to come to fruition. While things appear to be stalled, despite a comprehensive reform passing the Senate, immigrants are making small wins. For example, immigrants in West Chester and across the country are seeing increased victories during removal proceedings. Instead of the government always having the upper hand before an immigration judge, nearly half of immigrants in removal proceedings are winning their cases.
Are regional work visas an option for the future?
When an immigrant moves to Reading to work, he or she does so because the company he or she is working for is located nearby. If, however, that immigrant marries an American citizen and switches to a family based visa, he or she could move anywhere in the United States. Though employment-based visas are not specifically linked to location, they are linked to an employer. So, if an employer only has one location, an immigrant must stay largely in the same place until he or she can naturalize.
