By Warren Janssen, former USCIS director and member of the D4U Immigration team.
As the American elections approach, scheduled for November 5, discussions on topics that directly impact the lives of millions of people gain even more prominence, and immigration is among the most debated issues.
Warren Janssen, former USCIS director and member of the D4U Immigration team, explores in this article how the candidates’ proposals and policies can shape the future of the United States immigration system.
With his vast experience in the sector, Mr. Janssen shares his insights on the potential changes and their impacts on immigrants and the country itself.
American Elections
As an American citizen, I have voted in every presidential election since 1984, when I was 19 years old. As an immigration officer with the INS and USCIS, I worked for Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama, Trump, and Biden.
Elections and presidents come and go. Many of the significant changes made by new administrations were executive actions, and some significant legislative actions were signed by the president at the time.
In the last 15 to 25 years, the number of people applying for asylum has increased significantly, to the point where more than 10 to 20 million undocumented people from around the world have entered the USA and applied for asylum in recent years.
As a result, many cases and decisions for legal immigrants have been delayed, and a special fee has been charged to support asylum and refugee programs.
As a former executive official, I believe in law and order, and I am upset when our system is abused by economic refugees and asylum seekers.
Forecast for 2025
My predictions for possible immigration changes made by Trump or Harris as president are as follows:
- It is difficult to determine what actions Harris would take, but based on previous comments, she supports a general amnesty and a path to citizenship for undocumented migrants and it is unclear if she would take significant measures to protect the borders.
- In his last term, Trump took significant steps to curb the wave of irregular immigration across the borders. He promised to bring back his former policies and also announced a mass deportation program for undocumented immigrants, with those having criminal records being prioritized over others.
In short, I do not believe that legal immigrants have anything to fear and should continue to pursue their dreams and goals. The future is bright for the USA!
