Potential Merit-Based Immigration Legislation

The COVID-19 crisis has been a period of time of tumultuous immigration policy. Not only have many visas been taken away, many individuals deported, and many individuals turned away at the border, but DACA has been saved, and so have the rights of students –for now.

Thus, it should not be a shock that President Trump recently announced that a merit-based immigration policy is in the works. “We’re going to be signing an immigration act very soon,” Trump told reporters Tuesday at a White House press briefing. “It’s going to be based on merit. It’s going to be very strong.”

Given that the Trump administration has put H1B visas on hold—and so too with the brief but serious ban on student visas for online students—one must ask: What will this policy consist of? It is difficult to say. However, to speculate for a bit, it might be beneficial for DACA participants.

Trump stated that the merit-based policy would take care of DACA people in “a very Republican way.” It is difficult to know what this means, but if it is merit-based, those in school and/or working might find particular benefits from this policy.

However, if you are an undocumented immigrant who is not of DACA status, this might be bad news as “merit” in republican terms is often conflated with “legal” and working. The hope is that those who are undocumented and working in very difficult jobs might receive benefits, but this is doubtful under a Republican-based immigration policy.

We will have more details on this as they come to light.

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