January 21, 2021

President Biden Signs Multiple Executive Orders on Immigration on First Day In Office

On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed six executive orders relating to immigration and travel. Through these actions, Mr. Biden:

  • Ends the ban on travelers from the following countries: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea, Nigeria, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania (colloquially referred to as the “Muslim Ban”). This order also instructs the Department of State to restart visa applications for individuals in these countries.
  • Calls on Congress to grant permanent status and a path to citizenship for DACA recipients.
  • Ends Wall Construction at the southern border of the United States.
  • Ensures the Census will include non-citizens.
  • Overturns enforcement orders that expanded the effort to detain and deport undocumented immigrants.
  • Extends Deferred Action for Liberians for another year, until June 30, 2022.

President Biden additionally sent to Congress an extensive immigration reform bill on his first day in office, which includes a proposal for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and strengthens protections for immigrant workers.

The Associated Press also reported: “The Homeland Security Department announced a 100-day moratorium on deportations ‘for certain noncitizens,’ starting Friday, after Biden revoked one of Trump’s earliest executive orders making anyone in the country illegally a priority for deportations.” 

While many immigration advocates welcomed these orders, experts told Reuters that it may take months to truly roll back many of the restrictions put in place by the Trump administration.

For more information on these orders, along with the other orders that Mr. Biden signed on his first day as President, please see the following CBS News article.

President Biden and his administration have indicated that they are planning additional measures regarding immigration. We will continue to provide updates as they occur. As always, if you have any questions related to your case, please contact our firm.