In a newly revealed Department of Homeland Security document, the Biden administration lays out proposed administrative reforms that would make it easier to immigrate to the United States for many groups, including high-skilled workers, asylum-seekers and farm workers. 

Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series, says while the changes would indicate progress, the only lasting way to fix the immigration system is through Congress.  

Yale-Loehr says: 

“The Biden administration’s proposed administrative reforms are a good first step, but will take time to implement and will be challenged by immigration restrictionists in court. Moreover, Republicans will use immigration against Biden in the 2022 midterm elections. Finally, any administrative reforms could be undone by the next president.

“The only lasting way to reform our broken immigration system is through Congress. But that seems impossible right now.”