The immigration policy of the Trump administration is limiting the chance of individuals to bring their family members to the US. A report by Reuters says that the government has made a significant reduction in the number of family-based visas last year in-line with its policies to curb immigration.
Reuters reported that the number of family-based visas, known as I-130s, approved by the government last year dropped to the lowest level in more than a decade that too without any legislative action put in place.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data reviewed by Reuters show that the approval of I-130s visas dropped by 25 percent in the first nine months of 2017 to 406,000 compared to 530,000 in the same period in 2016 despite a similar number of applications during both periods.
The number of visas approved for distant relatives of immigrants dropped by 70 percent in the first nine months of 2017 (from 108,000 to 32,500) compared to the same period in 2016. This is the lowest number of approvals for extended family visas since 2000.
During the same period, approvals of fiancé/fiancée visas fell by 35 percent, noted the report.
According to the USCIS, the visa applications are prioritized since there are a limited number of visas available for family category. Though the agency said that there may be normal year-to-year fluctuations in the number of visas that are filed and approved, it maintains the policy that immigration should be based on merit.
“Those people are just coming in based on connection to a family member,†the new director of USCIS, L. Francis Cissna told Reuters. “That lack of selectivity; it takes us away from where we want to go as a country.â€
President Trump has called for ending chain migration that allows immigrants to bring their family members including distant relatives citing no selection criteria.
The report says that the intense focus on chain migration might have caused the slump in family-based visa approvals. While there are no significant legislative measures, the agency has put in place some new procedures and measures in visa approval in order to avoid fraud.
As a result of this, applicants in certain categories like H-1B temporary work visas for high-skilled workers are facing difficulty as they are required to file more evidence.
The new interview requirements for US citizens seeking to bring over their fiancés have also slowed down the approval process.
While the government is going ahead with its tight immigration policy, immigration supporters and activists are of the view that the actions by the administration will have an adverse effect on the country.