This week in immigration news – November 19, 2020

Federal Judge Rules Acting DHS Head Chad Wolf Unlawfully Appointed, Invalidates DACA Suspension

This week, a federal judge in New York City ruled that acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf had not been acting lawfully as secretary when he issued a memo suspending new applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Advocates are hopeful about what this means for young immigrants who were unable to apply for the program, but who would otherwise qualify for its protections.

Immigration Officials Have Been Told Not to Communicate with Joe Biden’s Transition Team

Policy staffers at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency were told not to communicate with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team until the “results of the election are clear,” even though the results of the election were called nearly two weeks ago.

DHS Proposes to Nix Work Permits for Certain Foreign Individuals

A new proposed rule from DHS would cancel work permits for individuals who have a final order of removal but who have not yet been deported. USCIS has stated that there would be some exemptions, such as for individuals whose home country will not accept them back or who have been granted a deferral of removal. This is one of the latest immigration proposals by the Trump administration as President-elect Biden prepares to take office in January.