On June 23, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 8-1 that the states of Louisiana and Texas did not have standing to challenge the Biden Administration's 2021 policy to give higher priorities to arrests of unauthorized migrants who are threats "to national security, public safety and border security" than to lesser violations of immigration rules. The Department of Homeland Security argued that Congress has not provided the Department of Homeland Security with sufficient resources to arrest 100% of those identified as out of compliance with immigration laws including minor technical lapses in following often complex and obscure immigration regulations.

Read from CBS News, Supreme Court allows Biden administration to limit immigration arrests, ruling against states

Read from The New York Times, Supreme Court Revives Biden Immigration Guidelines

In June, U.S. Border Patrol agents reported only about 100,000 detentions of migrants trying to enter the U.S. from Mexico, a big drop from 169,000 in May. Daily illegal border crossings from Mexico dropped from 10,000 in May 2023 to fewer than 4,000 in June. The drop was due in large part to the implementation of a new stricter asylum pre-screening digital application process by the U.S. known as "CBP One" combined with the Mexican government's new strategy to discourage undocumented migrants to the U.S. by transporting them deep into Mexico's interior.

Read from The New York Times, Number of Migrants at the Border Plunges as Mexico Helps U.S. to Stem Flow

Read from The New York Times, Number of Migrants Crossing U.S. Southern Border Is Down. But for How Long?

Read from CBS News, Migrant crossings along U.S.-Mexico border plummeted in June amid stricter asylum rules

Canada and Australia have set up new streamlined processes to enable new university graduates to more easily transition to long-term work visas and permanent residence.

Also, last year, the UK launched a new 2-year work visa for "high potential individuals" who are recent graduates from the 40 top-ranked universities in the world outside the UK. Of the top 40 listed universities, 21 are located in the United States.

Compared to these new options in Canada, Australia, and the UK, the U.S. work visa and green card pathways are much more costly, much slower, and much more restrictive. As a result, many top graduates from U.S. universities in engineering, science, technology and healthcare professions are choosing to take their talents to other countries outside the U.S.

Read from Reason Magazine, How Other Countries Benefit From America's Dysfunctional Immigration System

Read from Forbes, Canada's Immigration Rules Boost Companies and H-1B Visa Holders

Top political issues include Southwest border control, construction of a border wall, rules for asylum seekers and "e-verify" technology to help employers confirm employees' immigration status. Strict legislation which passed the House now goes to the Senate where there is little support for harsh enforcement measures among most Democrats and Independents.

Read from Politico, House and Senate diverge on immigration as border fears mount

Read from The Hill, The Memo: Nonexistent 'border surge' scrambles immigration politics

Read from The New York Times, Immigration Politics Return to the Forefront as the 2024 Race Picks Up Pace

led the Expert Immigration Panel at the 2023 International Business Law Institute

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Tip of the Month

On June 28, 2023, USCIS launched a new online self-service tool that can be used to reschedule required biometrics appointments. Timely applications to change appointments for biometrics can be rescheduled for "Good Cause". "Good Cause" reasons include but are not limited to: illness, medical appointments, hospitalization, previously planned travel, weddings, funerals or graduation ceremonies, inability to arrange transportation, inability to obtain leave from employment or caregiver responsibilities or late-delivered or undelivered USCIS biometrics appointment notices.

Read from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), USCIS Launches Online Rescheduling of Biometrics Appointments