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Acting U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is resigning from his position nine days before Biden’s inauguration and after the attack on the U.S. Capitol. “I am saddened to take this step, as it was my intention to serve the Department until the end of this Administration,” Wolf said Monday. He claimed ongoing court rulings continued to challenge his authority; A federal judge questioned the legality of his appointment to his position based back in November. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Peter Gaynor will become acting secretary. One administration official told Politico that Wolf resigned because he was disturbed by the Capitol riot. The Washington Post and Politico
In other federal immigration news…
Trump Rushes Last-Minute Asylum Restrictions
The Trump administration finalized several asylum restrictions that will begin either before or after Biden’s inauguration. These last-minute changes seem to be Trump’s last major effort to reform the asylum system, which his administration claims migrants take advantage of. One of the many rules, which a judge already blocked, was to establish restrictions throughout the process and disqualify victims of gender-based persecution, domestic abuse and gang violence from seeking refuge in the U.S. Another restriction would bring back a policy that blocked non-Mexican migrants and unaccompanied children from applying for asylum at the border. CBS News
Harris Gives Insight on Biden Administration’s Immigration Plans
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ensured the new administration will shorten the wait time to achieve citizenship, provide automatic green cards, and hire immigration judges to shorten court backlogs. An immigration reform bill Harris teased as coming quickly after Inauguration Day would give green cards to immigrants protected by Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policies. The Biden administration will also try to lower the amount of time it takes to receive U.S. citizenship to eight years from 13 years. Politico
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