News
Obama's new DHS secretary shows early promise
On 30th January US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano - recently chosen for the Cabinet post by President Barack Obama - announced a wide-ranging review of immigration policy and border security.
Napolitano's latest directive requires specific department offices under her leadership to work together, and with state and local partners, to review policies on: criminal and fugitive aliens; legal immigration benefit backlogs; southbound gun smuggling; cooperation with the National Guard; widows and widowers of US citizens; immigration detention centres; and electronic employee verification.
Of particular interest to those seeking permanent residency in the US, Napolitano called for a report on what progress has been made in reducing the significant backlogs that had developed in the adjudication of naturalisation petitions and adjustment of status (green card) applications. Regional offices that have not made sufficient progress towards target processing times could soon see new initiatives aimed at making sure that the full quota of permanent immigration spaces is used each fiscal year.
In response to recent cases in the US media, widows and widowers of US citizens who submitted visa applications, but whose petitions were not adjudicated before the citizen spouse's death, could also benefit from Napolitano's proposed reforms. The issue being that because of the death of the spouse, the petitions were denied. The new DHS secretary has asked what regulatory, legislative, and litigation options could be considered to immediately address the situation for these widows and widowers.
Napolitano has been busy in the first few weeks of her new office, with several announcements of potential immigration reform already. To find out the latest of Napolitano's initiatives, and whether she follows through on her early promise, keep an eye on the pages of the new monthly Emigrate magazine (sold in all good retailers throughout the UK).
08 April 2009