Navigating the Next Trump Administration as an

Transcript:Navigating the Next Trump Administration as an:
Navigating the Next Trump Administration as an International Student Your Presenters Brad Hendrick, Attorney, Caplan & Earnest LLC bhendrick@celaw.com | (303) 443-8010 Breanne P. Johnson, Attorney, Curray York & Associates, LLC Breanne.johnson@cyavisalaw.com | (303) 407-4100 ext. 319 Kristin A. Knudson, Senior Attorney, Knudson & Associates kristin@knudsonandassociates.com | (303) 974-7758 Agenda U.S. Immigration Environment Immediate Considerations Within the Next Year Longer-Term Considerations Takeaways Q & A, if time permits U.S. Immigration Environment This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA U.S. Immigration Environment U.S. immigration law and policy come from many different sources and are overseen by several agencies. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) was enacted in 1952. The most recent comprehensive amendment to the INA, which strengthened enforcement and increased penalties for undocumented immigrants, was made in 1996. Immigration is primarily a federal government issue. States and local governments play a limited role. For many U.S. voters, immigration is an important issue second only to the economy. Most changes to immigration-related rules and policies will take time, but sometimes things change very quickly. A President cannot do whatever he wants. There are administrative, legal, and political processes that may put limits on some proposals. Regulatory Changes & Updates to Policies and Procedures Congress has passed few substantive laws in recent years. That gave agencies power to interpret existing law to do what the president or an agency head wanted to do. However, recent Supreme Court rulings have limited the power of federal agencies by overturning precedent that forced courts to defer to agency interpretations of regulations. Courts are now likely to be more aggressive in second-guessing agency interpretation. Regulatory Changes & Updates to Policies and Procedures Executive Branch agencies are responsible for executing laws passed by Congress. Making and changing rules for programs and policy is a lengthy and complicated process. There are detailed legal requirements for drafting new proposals, conducting reviews, gathering public comments, making changes, and conducting further reviews. Changes can easily take two years, often more. Executive Branch Agencies Involved in Immigration Immigration Environment in 2025 During his 2024 campaign, Trump positioned himself as a champion of legal immigration, distinguishing between those who enter the United States lawfully and those who do not. He even promised to issue green cards to all foreign students upon graduation as part of his "Day One" agenda. Trump has committed to Securing the U.S. border. Reducing undocumented immigration.