New U.S. immigration regulations help reunite families of citizens early

> New U.S. immigration regulations help reunite families of citizens early The Obama administration announced on Wednesday new rules that allow U.S. citizens to avoid long-term separation from immediate family members of illegal immigrants. What if…

The Obama administration announced Wednesday new rules that would allow U.S. citizens to avoid long-term separation from their immediate family members who are illegal immigrants. If these non-immigrant relatives apply for legal resident status, they can expect to successfully return to the United States from overseas. This measure may help hundreds of thousands of American citizens reunite with their families as soon as possible.

New immigration laws help citizens’ families reunite earlier, and the number of people applying for green cards is expected to increase significantly. (Internet picture)

According to the New York Times, the new rules announced by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will create exemptions to avoid the esoteric "Catch-22" of immigration law. Spouses, children or parents of U.S. citizens often face the dilemma of being separated for up to ten years if they apply for a green card.

Until now, the risk for these immigrants to leave the United States and return to their country of origin to obtain a visa - even if it has been approved - has been too great, so countless families have decided not to apply, resulting in a massive increase in the number of illegal immigrants in the United States.

Immigration authorities will begin accepting exemption applications on March 3. Administration officials announced the policy changes a year ago, but they are subject to public comment and revisions before they become official rules.

Obtaining a green card for a U.S. citizen’s foreign-born spouse or child is fairly straightforward, and may also apply to some parents. But if immigrants enter the United States illegally, they must return to their country of origin to apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate. But according to the 1996 regulations, once illegal immigrants leave the United States, they are not allowed to return to the United States for at least three years and up to 10 years.

Even immigrants who are not subject to entry ban restrictions may be forced to stay overseas for several months, waiting for the consulate to complete the application procedures.

Under the new rules, family members of Americans can apply for exemption from the re-entry ban in the United States and obtain visas before leaving the United States. Officials estimate that immigrants' time abroad can be reduced to "a matter of weeks."

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas said a key benefit of the new rules is that individuals do not have to be separated from their U.S. citizen family members during the application process.

For immigrants, U.S. officials say getting approved exemption documents before leaving the United States will also eliminate concerns about whether they can get a visa.

Laura Lichter, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the new rules are a "big leap forward" compared to existing regulations. ... For families who don't want their loved ones to face uncertainty and sit on the sidelines, now they don't have to wait."

Lichter said many families still face obstacles because the waiver application fee is as high as $585.

The new rules do not give illegal immigrants any legal status, nor do they provide shortcuts for applications that have already been made. In order to obtain a green card, immigrants still need to prove that deportation would cause "extreme hardship" to a U.S. citizen. Lichtel called on Congress to amend the law to eliminate the dilemma caused by the no-reentry rule.