While the Biden administration has had many positives on its immigration policies, the numbers remain inconsistent in some respects.
Some of the needs of the Latino community in the U.S. are beginning to find answers in the Biden administration. An example of this is the new insurance for undocumented immigrants or the sponsorship program for refugees in the United States. However, many others are still pending.
Employment: a major concern for the Latino community
Latinos consistently rank employment and the economy as one of their top concerns. The general economic indicators of the Biden administration show an improvement in this regard. A good example of this is that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate among Latinos is 4.5%.
While these numbers are slightly above the overall unemployment rate, this represents less than half of the Latino unemployment rate in the last month of the Trump administration, demonstrating that immigration policies in this regard are insufficient.
Nonetheless, Latinos are starting small businesses at the fastest rate that has been recorded in the last decade. Latino homeownership is expanding in record time, and the poverty rate for Latino children has fallen the most of all racial and ethnic groups.
All of these trends reflect sound immigration policies of the Biden administration. However, we cannot ignore the fact that, in some specific issues such as the one mentioned above, the results are not very satisfactory.
Health: A strong point
In health care, the Biden administration deserves credit for increasing health care coverage for the Latino community. In October 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services released a report showing large gains in “Obamacare” enrollment (53% of increase since 2020) among Latinos.
Outreach efforts for the Affordable Care Act marketplace have also increased, helping to drive the nation’s uninsured rate to an all-time low.
Another good example of legal relief for immigrants in health care is the Inflation Reduction Act‘s limit on insulin prices. This will greatly benefit elderly Latinos, one of the sectors most affected by diabetes.
These accomplishments stand in contrast to those of the previous administration, which repeatedly attempted to terminate the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) without offering a viable alternative.
Immigration: Inconsistencies continue
However, as regards immigration, the President’s record has been inconsistent.
On the positive side, the Biden administration has reunited hundreds of migrant families separated under the Trump administration. It has also introduced a new rule designed to help Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigrants overcome legal challenges.
As for political asylum immigration cases, temporary protected status has been expanded to include countries such as Haiti and Venezuela. The program offers legal aid for immigrants who are already residing in the country, allowing them to stay for a limited time due to dangerous conditions in their home countries.
In addition, the Biden administration also plans to increase the number of refugees the United States accepts from the Western Hemisphere.
These measures, however, have been overshadowed by the crisis on the southern borderby the constant passing of immigrants. In January of this year, Biden announced new immigration policies that will open legal channels of entry to some immigrants, but also close the asylum process to many more.
This plan involves an expansion of Title 42, a controversial health rule used as a border control mechanism, a policy of which Biden has been a vocal detractor.
In this regard, progressive Democrats and immigrant advocates have strong grounds to consider the Biden administration’s immigration policies insufficient.
At Jaskot Law, we can offer assistance to those seeking to live and work in the United States legally.
