This week in immigration news – December 15, 2021

Gov. DeSantis wants $8M to remove “unauthorized aliens” from Florida, escalates Biden feud

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is proposing using $8 million of Florida’s budget to transport undocumented immigrants who live in Florida to other states. Critics have pointed out that the governor—who jokingly cited Biden’s home state of Delaware as a place where people would be transported—has been vague about the plan itself, suggesting that it is a part of the governor’s 2022 re-election campaign.

Worried about U.S. immigrant visas backlog? A key step has just been waived for many

The State Department recently waived the in-person appearance and oath requirement, a step in the visa process known as the consular interview, for nearly 50,000 people until December 13, 2023, in an effort to address the backlog that ballooned after the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions.

Environmental challenge to DACA immigration won’t get high court review
This past week, the Supreme Court turned down the opportunity to hear a challenge to DACA brought by groups like Californians for Population Stabilization alleging that the government had failed to conduct a review of the policy under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Similarly, the Arizona attorney general has also sued Biden’s DHS, alleging that the administration’s immigration policies will cause environmental harm in the state of Arizona. That case is currently pending.