Proposed Changes to US Immigration Rules

Proposed¹ Changes to US Immigration Rules

The administration² of President Joe Biden recently proposed changes to U.S. immigration laws for asylum³ seekers.

The proposal⁴ comes as the U.S. prepares to end immigration regulations tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulations are set to end in May.

The change would permit migrants to enter the U.S only if they did not pass through another country first.

For example, Mexicans who want to seek asylum would be permitted to enter, but a person from Central America who spent time in Mexico on the way to the U.S. would be rejected.

Biden's proposal must be reviewed for 30 days before it can take effect. If it does, it will stay in place for at least two years.

Experts said the law will likely be challenged by immigration supporters as well as those who want to limit immigration.

The Biden administration described the rule as a necessary tool for when the pandemic-related restrictions⁶ called Title 42 end. Title 42 is the name for immigration restrictions put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to limit the disease's spread.

Leaders in the departments of Justice and Homeland Security⁷ say letting Title 42 expire⁸ without putting something in its place would cause a fast increase in migrants trying to enter the U.S.

Here is a look at how the new plan differs from the old one.

What is the new rule and how is it different?

Under the new rule, migrants who come to the southern border of the U.S. will be denied entry unless they tried to gain asylum in another country first.

Migrants will be required to apply for an asylum interview before coming to the U.S. This can be done on a smart phone.

Melissa Crowe is a lawyer with the Center for Gender⁹ and Refugee¹⁰ Studies. Crowe supports immigration rights. She and other critics say the new rule includes parts of policies presented by former President Donald Trump¹¹. The main difference is that Biden's law permits migrants to appeal if they are denied entry.

What does the Biden administration say?

If the old rules expire without something in its place, government officials say they are worried about a huge number of migrants coming to the border. There could be as many as 13,000 people per day. That is a much higher number than the busiest days during the last three years. The new rule, officials say, would prevent a fast increase.

Government officials point out there are special rules for people from Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. They say that makes Biden's proposal different from the Trump policies.

Krish O'Mara Vignarajah is the leader of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. She said her organization supports the expanded pathways for those four countries. But the new rule, she said, leaves a lot of people from other countries at risk. People are especially at risk if they must leave their home country right away or if they do not have enough money to come directly to the U.S.

Critics who want to further restrict⁵ immigration say Biden's policy would not cut down the number of migrants. Instead, they said the new plan's main goal is to better organize the process. They also say the new plan is only supposed to get the current administration "through the next election¹² cycle."

What is Mexico's role in the new plan?

The U.S. and Mexico share a border that is more than 3,000 kilometers long. That means most asylum seekers who want to come to the U.S. spend some time there first.

Mexico has not yet commented on the new plan. The Biden administration, however, said it has been in "close consultation¹³" with the Mexican government. The U.S. said Mexico has agreed to take back people who are rejected at the border.

What about other countries in the area?

The people who wrote the new plan say countries such as Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador have been accepting migrants. But people who work to help migrants say those countries do not support migrants well enough, so they will still want to come to the U.S.

What happens next?

The rule is open for comment for the next 30 days. If there are no changes, it will go into effect on May 11 when Title 42 ends. However, it is not clear if the old plan will end. Leaders of some states say they want the current plan to stay in place.

Words in This Story

regulation –n. a rule

review –v. to think again about something

challenge –v. to push against something

expire –v. to end or for time to run out

apply –v. to ask to get into something

interview –n. an official conversation or series of questions about something

appeal –v. to make an argument asking an authority¹⁴ to resconsider a decision

cycle –n. a period of time that comes around again and again

consultation –n. a serious discussion

1 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

2 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

3 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

4 proposal   

n.提议，建议；求婚

参考例句：

• I feel that we ought to accept his proposal.我觉得我们应该接受他的建议。
• They could not gain over anyone to support their proposal.他们无法争取到支持他们建议的人。

5 restrict   

n./vt.限制，限定，约束

参考例句：

• He feels this new law will restrict his freedom. 他觉得这一新法律会限制他的自由。
• Don't restrict her proper activities.不要拘束她的正当活动。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。

8 expire   

vi.期满，（期限）终止，断气，死亡

参考例句：

• His term of office as president will expire next year.他的总统任期明年将届满。
• When does your trade agreement with Japan expire?你们同日本签订的贸易协定何时期满？

9 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

10 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

11 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

12 election   

n.选举，选择权；当选

参考例句：

• There is no doubt but that he will win the election.毫无疑问，他将在竞选中获胜。
• The government will probably fall at the coming election.在即将到来的大选中，该政府很可能要垮台。

13 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

14 authority   

n.当局，官方；权力，权威，威信；当权者

参考例句：

• He is recognized internationally as an authority in this field.国际上承认他是这方面的一个权威。
• Professor White is looked upon as an authority on mathematics.怀特教授被看成数学权威。