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Immigration Update

Dec 6, 2021 | Immigration Updates

In this edition, find out more about the Biden Administration’s response to the new Omicron Coronavirus variant, the immigration provisions within the stop-gap funding bill that averted a government shutdown, a return of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and more.

Biden Administration Increases Travel Restrictions in Response to New ‘Omicron’ Coronavirus Variant

Last week, in response to concerns and unknowns about a new coronavirus variant, called Omicron (B.1.1.529), President Biden said that most travelers (excluding U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents) who had been in any of eight countries in southern Africa for the prior 14 days would be barred from entry into the United States. The countries include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Since then, the new variant has spread to at least 23 countries, including the United States, and more are likely, according to the World Health Organization. The Biden administration subsequently announced additional measures, effective December 6, 2021, including a requirement that inbound international passengers take a COVID-19 viral test within a day of their departure, regardless of their vaccination status, and an extension of a mask requirement on domestic flights and public transportation—including buses, trains, planes, bus terminals, and airports—through March 18, 2021. Fines for noncompliance with the mask requirement range from $500 for a first offense to $3,000 for repeat violations.

For the testing requirement, the CDC rules state that those who recently recovered from COVID-19 may instead travel with documentation of recovery (i.e., a positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that the passenger was cleared to travel).

Regarding the one-day requirement for testing, the CDC explained:

The 1-day period is 1 day before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 1-day time frame instead of 24 hours to provide more flexibility to the air passenger and aircraft operator. By using a 1-day window, test acceptability does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test sample was taken.

For example, if your flight is at 1 pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday.

The Biden administration indicated that more countries could be added to the restricted list if warranted. As this is a rapidly developing, fluid situation, travelers should check the latest updates before departure.

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Stopgap Funding Bill Averts Government Shutdown, Includes Immigration Provisions

The U.S. Congress passed a bill to extend funding through February 18, 2022, to prevent a federal government shutdown that otherwise would have begun December 4, 2021. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 221-212, and the Senate passed it by a vote of 69-28. President Biden signed it into law on December 3.

The immigration provisions include:

  • $7 billion to support Operation Allies Welcome, including resettlement of Afghans who aided U.S. military operations in Afghanistan
  • $1.6 billion for services for unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexico border who are under the care of the Department of Health and Human Services

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Following Court Order, U.S., Mexico Announce Return to ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy for Asylum Seekers

After the Biden administration’s suspension and then termination in June 2021 of the Trump-era policy known as “Remain in Mexico” or the “Migrant Protection Protocols,” under which asylum seekers who wish to enter the United States through Mexico await processing there, the policy is being reinstated due to a court ruling in August 2021. President Biden previously called the policy “inhumane” because it forced tens of thousands of people to wait for months in conditions that included violent crimes perpetrated against them, among other risks.

Under the reinstated policy, at Mexico’s request, COVID-19 vaccinations will be provided, exemptions will be possible for reasons including physical and mental health issues, and the time spent in the program will be limited to six months per applicant. The Department of Homeland Security also said that the U.S. government is committed to reimplementing the program “in a way that enhances protection for individuals enrolled in the program.” Among the measures being taken are the provision of access to shelters in Mexico and “safe transit” to and from ports of entry to the shelters, to enable individuals to attend court hearings. Additionally, DHS said, the government of Mexico “has committed to ensuring that individuals enrolled in [the program] are provided temporary legal status in Mexico and will, as a result, be able to work and access services in Mexico.” DHS also said that family units would not be separated for purposes of enrollment in the program. DHS said it would observe “non-refoulement” principles and that no individual who demonstrates a “reasonable possibility of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion” or a “reasonable possibility of torture in Mexico” will be returned to Mexico involuntarily.

According to reports, the policy is expected to be re-implemented on December 6, 2021.

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Labor Dept. Proposes Rule Revising Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for H-2A Non-Range Occupations

The Department of Labor (DOL) is proposing revisions to the methodology used to determine the Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for non-range agricultural occupations in the H-2A temporary visa program. DOL said the proposed methodology “will strike a reasonable balance between the statute’s competing goals of providing employers with an adequate legal supply of agricultural labor and protecting the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed.”

DOL proposes to determine AEWRs using wage data reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Labor Survey (FLS) and DOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. For the six occupations comprising the field and livestock worker (combined) category within the FLS, which DOL said constitute the majority of H-2A job opportunities, the agency proposes to set a single AEWR using the annual average hourly wage for field and livestock workers (combined) for the state or region, as determined by the FLS. For all other job opportunities, and in circumstances where the FLS does not report wage data for the field and livestock worker occupations, DOL proposes to use OEWS wage data to set the AEWR at the statewide annual average hourly wage for the occupational classification, or the national annual average hourly wage if statewide data is unavailable.

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GLOBAL NEWS: Canada Expands its List of Countries with Entry Prohibitions, Increases Border Measures

Effective as of December 1, in response to the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Canadian government has increased its border measures by enacting additional testing requirements and adding Egypt, Nigeria, and Malawi to the list of countries with entry prohibitions.
 
All fully vaccinated air travelers to Canada – except for those arriving from the United States – will be subject to a COVID-19 test upon their arrival in Canada. Additionally, fully vaccinated travelers (other than U.S. travelers) will be required to quarantine while they await the results of their arrival test. All unvaccinated travelers will continue to be tested on arrival and on day 8. These unvaccinated travelers will also still be required to quarantine for 14 days.
 
The Canadian government has also expanded its list of countries with entry prohibitions. Any foreign nationals who have been in the following countries in the past 14 days will not be allowed entry, and Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and people with status under the Indian Act who have traveled to these countries within 14 days will be subject to enhanced pre-entry guidelines and entry requirements.

List of countries now subject to entry prohibitions:

Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

International travelers should continue to expect changes in travel requirements as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

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