Following a report from the New York Times that the Trump administration is considering measures to prevent visa holders who are lawfully in the U.S. but are from countries subjected to the Travel Ban from obtaining green cards, NIAC sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Attorney General Pam Bondi strongly urging against such an approach that would only serve to discriminate on the basis of national origin.
As stated in the letter, “Individuals lawfully present in the United States have already undergone a thorough vetting process – and the process is particularly exhaustive for individuals from “banned” countries. Subjecting applicants for an immigration benefit to tailored review can be appropriate. However, considering national origin to be a major negative factor is both unwarranted – as national origin is not tied to any credible security risk – and unlawful as an expression of national origin discrimination.”
The full text of the letter is included below:
USCIS Letter