Yesterday, February 24, 2021, President Biden revoked Former President Trump’s “Immigrant Ban”, pursuant to Proclamation 10014 from April 22, 2020, and its subsequent extensions in Proclamation 10052 from June 22, 2020, and Proclamation 10131 from December 31, 2020. Proclamation 10131, from December 31, 2020, was still in effect, extending the ban through March 31, 2021. President Biden’s revocation of the “Immigrant Ban” will help the following categories of immigrants, who are located outside of the U.S. and are currently awaiting an appointment for interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad in connection with their immigrant visa application, to complete their immigration process:
- parents of U.S. citizens;
- siblings of U.S. citizens;
- adult sons and daughters (unmarried or married), over 21 years of age, of U.S. citizens,
- spouses and children (unmarried), under 21 years of age, of U.S. permanent residents;
- adult sons and daughters (unmarried), over 21 years of age, of U.S. permanent residents;
- employment-based immigrants in the EB-1 to EB-4 categories. (Immigrants in the EB-5 category were never impacted by the Immigrant Ban.); and
- selectees in the Diversity Visa Lottery 2021, who were selected last year for receipt of an immigrant visa this year.
This is a wonderful development! However, it will take months, or even more than a year, for U.S. embassies and consulates, some of which are currently closed, some of which are open, but working with a limited capacity, to catch up their case load backlog. In any case, this is a step in the right direction as President Biden works to undo Former President Trump’s anti-immigrant legacy.