In case you missed The View From The Top, here is the Immigration update for January 25, 2023 from Fragomen's Julia Onslow Cole.
Her most recent update was on the state of immigration in the United States. According to Julia, there is currently a deadlock in Congress on immigration legislation, with Republicans pushing for border security measures and Democrats advocating for policies such as the Dreamers and DACA program.
One of the main reasons for this deadlock is that immigration has become an even more partisan issue than before. Additionally, with the upcoming two-year election period, Republicans will be more inclined to talk about immigration while Democrats will avoid the topic. Julia also pointed out that the recent election of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House has made the situation even more complicated, as he had to make concessions to the far-right flank of the party and there is now a spot vote on his leadership.
However, Julia noted that even though there may not be any legislative changes, there can still be significant policy changes. She highlighted the coordination between agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, and Department of Justice to address illegal migration and companies that hire people without the proper work authorization.
Julia also warned that there are several regulatory changes on the horizon that companies should be aware of, such as a proposed hike in government fees, a new policy around adjustment of status, changes to the prevailing wage, and a focus on H1B visa and employer-employee relationships.
Listen to to Julia's complete update here:
Access the complete show recording where the discussion focused on Global Mobility in a CostConscious World.
Access previous show recordings
Previous immigration updates can be accessed here.