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US presidential candidate <keyword id="19918985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump" source="keywords">Donald Trump</keyword> has gone from suggesting that immigrants were poisoning the blood of the country to saying that he would welcome immigrants from “nice” countries like Denmark, Switzerland and Norway to his most recent plans of automatically granting green cards to <keyword id="22128571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-graduates" source="keywords">foreign graduates</keyword> of US colleges in a rather short duration of time. Feeling a little whiplashed, anyone? Securing a green card in the US is a Herculean task whose difficulty is probably comparable to capturing and bringing back Cerberus. And this legal permanent residence, which can sometimes take decades, is only the first step to becoming a US citizen. Many Indians have tried, whether it’s through residing and working for decades, navigating rather lengthy paperwork or marrying someone who is already a US citizen. Sadly, many have failed too. However, should Donald Trump become the President of the United States again (and decide to keep his word), Indian students might actually have an easier time getting a green card. In a surprising shift from his previous stance on immigration, former President Donald Trump has unveiled a bold plan to automatically grant green cards to foreign graduates of US colleges if re-elected. This announcement, made during a podcast interview with Silicon Valley investors, marks a departure from Trump's traditionally tough rhetoric on immigration. During the podcast hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya and others, Trump expressed his commitment to retaining talent educated in American universities. He argued passionately for granting green cards as a standard benefit for graduates, regardless of the institution they attended. Trump emphasised that this policy should encompass graduates from renowned institutions like Harvard and MIT as well as from junior colleges across the country. “It’s so sad when we lose people from Harvard, MIT, the greatest schools, and lesser schools that are phenomenal schools also,” Trump lamented on the All-In Podcast. “I think you should get, automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country and that includes junior colleges, too.” A green card affords its holder permanent residency rights in the United States and represents a crucial step towards citizenship. Trump's proposal, if enacted, could potentially introduce hundreds of thousands of new applicants for citizenship annually. Adding to the exodus of Indians who have already migrated to the US, over 200,000 Indian nationals are enrolled in institutes across the US in 2024, setting a new record. In fact, the significant surge in Indian students seeking education in the country between 2022-23 represented an unprecedented 35% increase from the year before that. The former US president specifically mentioned India and China, highlighting how talented individuals were unable to stay in the US because of current <keyword id="22151110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa-policies" source="keywords">visa policies</keyword>. We can see how this may show him in a favourable light for green card aspirants. And while we’re not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, it is important to remember that Trump has made his discriminatory nature very public in several instances. Immigration has been a hot topic in the US political arena for decades. However, in recent years, the political right and others have been more divided than ever on this issue. Republicans have been calling for stringent immigration policies and strict border protections. Therefore, even if Trump does deliver what he promises, the packaging will most likely have fine print that might continue to make it difficult for students to attain green cards. In fact, the presidential candidate’s campaign press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has already clarified that Trump's proposal would only apply to thoroughly vetted college graduates who can “make significant contributions” to America and would not undercut American wages or workers. She emphasised that Trump has outlined the most aggressive vetting process in US history to exclude "all communists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters and public charges." Anyhow, Trump’s proposal starkly contrasts with Trump's previous hardline stance on immigration, which had been a cornerstone of his political platform. During his presidency, Trump advocated for stringent immigration policies, including the largest deportation campaign in US history, aimed at undocumented migrants, and building a wall on the southern borders of the country. Trump intensified restrictions on legal immigration amid the pandemic and his final year in office. He proposed halting all immigration to the US and deporting foreign students who didn't attend some in-person classes. A month before the 2020 election, Trump once more moved to tighten regulations on the <keyword id="20773661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="H-1B-visa" source="keywords">H-1B visa</keyword> program. He has also criticised the H-1B visa program, which tech companies favour for hiring foreign skilled workers, as detrimental to American prosperity. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa allowing US firms to employ foreigners in specialised occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise. At a recent campaign event in Wisconsin, Trump criticised Biden's immigration policies, particularly lambasting a new program allowing undocumented spouses of US citizens to apply for permanent residence without leaving the country. Trump characterised immigration under Biden as an "invasion" and argued against discussing amnesty, urging instead for measures to halt what he perceives as an influx of unauthorised migrants. Estimates from the Department of Homeland Security suggest that approximately 11 million migrants currently reside in the US without authorization, a statistic that has been central to Trump's arguments against leniency in immigration policy.

Donald Trump strikes again: Ex-President proposes automatic green cards for foreign graduates of US colleges

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I've lived in Canada for over a decade, and though it's not perfect, I prefer it to the US.</li><li>I've had major surgery and dealt with long COVID for years and haven't paid a cent for healthcare.</li></ul>When my partner was offered a job in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-toronto-best-city-quick-trip-things-to-do-skip-2024-10">Toronto</a> 13 years ago, we felt like we'd won the lottery.We were living in the Midwest, where people stared at us as if they'd never seen a multiracial couple before and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cosmopolitan-jessica-pels-career-advice-how-to-get-dream-job-2020-4">Cosmopolitan magazine</a> was covered with black plastic in the supermarket because it was too racy.We'd long wanted to live somewhere more diverse and walkable, with less violence. Settling in downtown Toronto — where we could walk or take <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canada-via-rail-vs-amtrak-business-class-review-photos-2022-8">public transportation</a> and over half of the population was born outside Canada — was like being in a smaller, cleaner version of New York City.Add on the promise of Canadian healthcare, and we were close to nirvana.After living for more than a decade in Canada, we've come to realize that the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-to-canada-from-us-pros-cons-heathcare-home-prices">country is far from perfect</a>. But there are many factors that make it unimaginable for me to live in the US again.<h2 id="a284571f-bca4-4fba-a6f4-d7f8b2efefe7">Canada's healthcare system isn't perfect, but I prefer it to the US's</h2>Canadian healthcare has its downsides.While the majority of care is free, people typically have to pay out of pocket for prescriptions, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-americans-dont-exercise-mental-health-crisis-depression-anxiety-fitness-2024-6">mental-health</a> care, and dental and vision care, which can make these services inaccessible to many.Despite that, I can't envision living without <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dr-adam-kay-americas-been-gaslit-about-socialized-medicine-2019-12">socialized medicine</a> again. I had a complicated pregnancy and an emergency C-section and I developed long COVID four years ago, but I've never paid a cent for healthcare here.When I lived in the US, I worked in public health in California, helping uninsured families access care. I saw firsthand <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-get-medical-bills-reduced-negotiate-challenge-payment-plan-2024-9">how medical debt could ruin people</a>.There was also a brief time when I was in my 20s, before the Affordable Care Act, when I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-giving-up-medical-care-cant-afford-costs-2024-2">lived without health insurance</a> in California and was terrified of getting injured and ending up with a huge hospital bill.<h2 id="82b9efcc-e263-4015-b997-fc1d979a471a">Traveling in Canada can be more expensive, but we've found ways to manage</h2><div type="image" title="landscape of Canada's Laurentian Mountains" height="3840" width="5760" msid="115259769" hostid="261" sizebytes="1759662"></div>Because of <a target="_blank" href="https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/airlines-fees-canada">federal regulations</a>, domestic flights in Canada are often more expensive than flights to the US. However, we've found ways to manage by coordinating work trips and visiting friends.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/beautiful-natural-wonders-2018-7">Canada's nature</a> is one of our favorite aspects of living here. We've vacationed across the country, but we have a special fondness for Québec's Laurentian Mountains and the forests of Ontario.We also spent months in the Yukon subarctic, where we glimpsed a grizzly bear, lynx, moose, scores of ravens, and wilderness more pristine than I thought possible.<h2 id="001263da-7c4c-4498-aabe-c1e9c7dbf46c">We love the diversity in Toronto, but we have experienced racism</h2>My husband and I found friends through community groups and parent-and-baby classes with other immigrant parents. Our friends are from all over, including Nigeria, Russia, Pakistan, Mexico, China, and Peru.Living in such a global environment is simply second nature for our Canadian-born child, who became trilingual in kindergarten in a public French school.However, immigrants and people of color aren't always treated kindly, despite Canada having had an official <a target="_blank" href="http://pier21.ca/research/immigration-history/canadian-multiculturalism-policy-1971">multiculturalism policy</a> since 1971.My Afro-Latino partner often laments the racism he's experienced in Canada, which has been more directly harmful to him than the racism he experienced in the United States.For example, he sold his bike after nearly being hit by drivers so many times, including one who told him to get off the road before calling him the N-word.When he does porch drop-offs of kids' items I've sold on Marketplace, he gets followed and questioned by people who act like he's a thief.And when we renewed his employer-sponsored work permit at the border a decade ago, an immigration official grilled him and said, "Couldn't they find a Canadian for the job?"In part because of those experiences, my husband has felt compelled to connect even more with different BIPOC communities in Canada.After we moved here, he found out about his Indigenous Caribbean ancestry through genetic testing, and it has become an extremely important part of our experience as a family to educate ourselves about Indigenous people's histories, lives, and teachings. We see it as one of our responsibilities as settlers.<h2 id="859b0674-9e41-4b48-abbc-f3eccee0cca8">I prefer living in Canada to the United States</h2><div type="image" title="Canadian flag with Toronto skyline in the background" height="3744" width="5616" msid="115259767" hostid="261" sizebytes="940328"></div>The longer I live here, the less I feel like I belong when I travel back to the US.My family inhabits multiple marginalized identities — queer, <a target="_blank" href="https://economichardship.org/2023/04/the-disabled-tax-means-i-pay-extra-for-necessities-constantly/">disabled</a>, immigrant, and BIPOC — that are under attack in the US. The ability to live and thrive outside the US, with free healthcare to boot, has long made me feel survivor's guilt for enjoying that stability.There are trade-offs to Canadian life: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canada-housing-crisis-bubble-imploding-real-estate-prices-rent-decline-2023-11">Astronomical housing costs</a> caused by foreign investment and government policy make me worry that when my child is an adult, they won't be able to afford rent, much less buy a home.I'm also disabled and cannot work full time. If I'm ever without my partner's financial support, I wouldn't qualify for or be able to live on my province's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tvo.org/article/people-cant-live-on-dirt-disabled-ontarians-push-for-odsp-reform">paltry disability benefits</a>.In the end, it's a balancing act.I will forever follow events in American society and politics, even when I someday become a Canadian citizen. But for my family's safety and health, there's no going back.

My husband and I moved from the US to Canada 13 years ago. We love the free healthcare here and the great friends we made.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump has pledged to lead a mass deportation campaign once elected.</li><li>That would create a major labor crunch for homebuilders, driving wages and costs higher.</li></ul>Donald Trump's vow to crack down on immigration doesn't bode well for priced-out homebuyers.The Republican presidential candidate has promised to lead the largest deportation campaign in US history if reelected. By one estimate, that could involve deporting up to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-deportation-immigration-plan-impact-recession-risk-inflation-stagflation-labor-2024-6">1.2 million</a> people, though as many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2024/trump-vs-harris-immigration-future-policy-proposals#_ftn1">11 million undocumented residents</a> live in the country.While there's room to debate the plan's feasibility, what's certain is that a sudden drain of the immigrant workforce could significantly hinder construction in the US, igniting deeper unaffordability for home market buyers.<h3 id="a76ec574-ba23-4a94-92de-608c0047e53f">A critical homebuilder workforce</h3>"If we did see mass deportations, I do think it would have a chilling effect on the labor market," Jim Tobin, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, told Business Insider.He said immigrants are a critical component of the industry, as they help relieve a serious shortage of skilled labor. Foreign-born construction workers, who make up as much as a third of the sector's labor force, are often concentrated in specific trades required to build a home, such as plasterers and drywall installers, the Home Builders Institute <a target="_blank" href="https://hbi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Spring-2024-CLMR-HBI-NAHB-FINAL.pdf">reported</a>."We consistently see government data showing that we are anywhere between 200,000 to 400,000 workers short in our industry and that lack of skilled labor slows down the pace of construction, drives up labor costs, and ultimately leads to higher home prices, and a slower pace of home building," Tobin said.A <a target="_blank" href="https://gwbushcenter.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-and-Opp-3.pdf">2022 George W. Bush Institute</a> study found that US metros with the highest immigrant population growth scored the lowest construction costs.Without the supply of these workers, history suggests housing costs are likely to rise.According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4729511">research paper</a> released earlier this year, home prices were found to rise in counties impacted by an immigration crackdown that spanned from late 2008 to 2014. The US "Secure Communities" program led to the deportation of over 300,000 undocumented immigrants in that time period, it cited.Given the pace of homebuilding, price effects were muted for two years after enforcement began, the study said. However, three years later, the average new construction property became 17% more expensive among tracked counties compared to the baseline.That translates to a $57,300 jump compared to the average property price before the program's implementation."Three years after SC rollout, the average county has foregone the equivalent of an entire year's worth of additional residential construction: 2,423 fewer buildings are permitted, and 1,997 fewer newly constructed homes enter the market," the authors wrote.Considering how wide-sweeping the Trump campaign's deportation effort could be, experts told BI that homebuilders would likely resort to wage hikes to attract domestic workers. These could be significant, given that the construction industry would be competing against other immigrant-dependent sectors.According to Tobin, mass deportation would also require the industry to redouble its efforts in attracting new domestic interest in the trades. "Whether that's kids coming out of out of high school, or adults that are looking for a new career, transitioning military that are coming out of the service. We would have to look at previously incarcerated."<h3 id="2780f5cd-9b64-4a83-a2ce-4c3dee812acf">What about demand?</h3>Trump's campaign has implied that cracking down on immigration will help ease housing unaffordability by effectively removing one source of demand. It's a talking point recently made by Vice President candidate JD Vance, who blamed "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vance-debate-immigration-housing-prices-real-estate-federal-reserve/">millions of undocumented immigrants</a>" for adding pressure on a supply-constrained housing market.While research has suggested immigrant demand plays a role in influencing prices, economists generally doubt that this is a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/business/economy/trump-housing-crisis-deportations.html">major driver</a>. Rents and home prices started surging in 2020 and 2021, at a time when net immigration inflows were close to the two-decade average, as tracked by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60569#:~:text=Over%20the%202021%E2%80%932026%20period%2C%20the%20net%20immigration%20of%20people,net%20immigration%20of%20that%20population">Congressional Budget Office</a>.Meanwhile, Trump's platform is also pushing another policy initiative that's unlikely to help housing costs: tariffs. The candidate has pledged to raise duties on virtually all imports to the US, raising them as much as 60% on Chinese imports."If you're going to add tariffs onto building materials, that cost is just going to be passed along to the homeowner or the renter," Tobin said, citing that there's a lack of evidence that tariffs will meaningfully increase production in the US. He pointed to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nahb.org/blog/2024/08/canadian-lumber-tariffs">a 15% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber</a> that has failed to do this.

Trump's immigration crackdown could deplete the construction workforce and make housing more expensive     

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Canada will reduce its target number of new permanent residents in 2025 from 500,000 to 395,000.</li><li>Justin Trudeau said the new target will pause population growth in Canada over the next few years.</li></ul>Canada has announced cuts in the number of immigrants it allows into the country after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he "didn't get the balance right."At a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuFIwUQ6SgY">news conference in Ottawa</a>, Trudeau took the unusual step of acknowledging his policies had placed a strain on the economy.He said Canada needed to "pause population growth and let our economy catch up," adding that while immigration was "essential" for Canada's future, it must be controlled and sustainable.Under the new plan, the number of permanent residents arriving in Canada in 2025 will be reduced by 21%, from the initial target of 500,000 to 395,000.The long-term goal is to reduce that number to 365,000 new permanent residents by 2027.<h2 id="80880aaa-7718-4595-8c66-00b430baa1bd">Slowing down population growth</h2>Canada's immigration policy is often offered up as a model for other countries, with foreign-born people making up nearly a quarter of its population, according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-canadas-immigration-policy">Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).</a>"Immigrants have helped the country counter aging demographics and fuel economic growth, though some Canadians have expressed concern about the increasing strain on housing and social services," the CFR report said.Canada's population hit <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/10/government-of-canada-reduces-immigration.html">41 million in April</a>, with immigration accounting for almost 98% of population growth last year.Since 2019, annual targets for new permanent resident admissions increased by nearly 41%, according to figures from the<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/annual-report-parliament-immigration-2024.html"> Canadian government.</a>While its population has been growing, Canada has been grappling with a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canada-housing-crisis-bubble-imploding-real-estate-prices-rent-decline-2023-11">housing crisis</a>, increased costs of living, and rising debt.Canada's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/unemployment-rate">unemployment rate </a>was 6.5% in September. Meanwhile, housing prices increased prices by more than 355% between 2000 and 2021.According to a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://assets.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/sites/cmhc/professional/housing-markets-data-and-research/housing-research/research-reports/2023/housing-shortages-canada-updating-how-much-we-need-by-2030-en.pdf?rev">2023 report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation</a>, Canada will need 3.5 million more homes on top of what's already being built to restore affordability."These pressures have required us to adapt our immigration levels planning to the current climate," said Immigration Minister Marc Miller."Our annual plans must take into account the capacity to settle, integrate, and retain newcomers—which varies across the country—and monitor system-wide pressures in critical sectors such as housing and health care. At the same time, immigrants make significant contributions to the labor market and are part of the solution."In an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-24/canada-s-economy-won-t-take-a-hit-from-immigration-curb-minister-says">interview with Bloomberg</a>, Miller said he was not worried about the slowing population growth from immigration cuts having a negative impact on the economy."We do have an aging population and whatever you see in the next three years with the neutral population growth is counteracted by the quite large growth that we've seen in the last three years," he said. "If it goes on too long, you have a concern, but we're not in that situation, far from it."The immigration cuts come as Trudeau faces challenges to his leadership. An Ipsos poll conducted between September 5 and 9 <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/approval-trudeaus-performance-just-33-canadians-call-parliament-focus-cost-living">put</a> his approval rating at 33%. Two-thirds of Canadians disapproved of his leadership, citing disappointment with the cost of living and housing crisis.

Justin Trudeau, a champion of immigration, says he overdid it and strained Canada's economy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/became-american-citizen-to-could-vote-2024-11">born in the US</a> but have ancestral ties to both Poland and Portugal.</li><li>Gathering all the necessary documents to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-more-americans-applying-for-second-passports-2024-7">apply for dual citizenship</a> took time and effort.</li></ul>I was born in the United States but travel widely and often think about moving abroad. I also want my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-lists-the-benefits-of-giving-her-kids-dual-citizenship-2022-6">children to have the option</a> if they ever want to leave the US.In more recent years, as I became increasingly concerned about the political landscape in America and the impact it could have on my family's lives, I got serious about looking for ways to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/second-passport-application-steps-to-consider-2024-7">gain citizenship in another country</a>.This process isn't possible for everyone. Among other obstacles, some people are unable to trace their roots because their ancestors were brought to the US as slaves.However, after doing a lot of research and submitting so much paperwork, I was granted <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/emily-in-paris-wrong-krakow-better-than-rome-european-travel-2024-9">citizenship in Poland</a> and Portugal before ever setting foot in either country.Here are the steps I took.<h2 id="abd813cd-f03d-4be1-97d8-ef04b07e230f">I started by creating a detailed family tree</h2>To build my tree, I did research on where each of my ancestors was born and the date they immigrated to the US.Then, I filled in the gaps by asking relatives and conducting research online. US government databases and Ancestry.com were my main sources for verifying things I'd already been told and looking into further <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-economy-prediction-immigration-population-growth-housing-market-gdp-cbo-2024-2">immigration information</a>.In my experience, details as small as the exact year someone immigrated or where they were buried were critical.<h2 id="df385453-4ee0-489a-a991-05381a1ef5de">After looking into immigration laws, I found the documents I needed</h2>Once I had my tree, I researched immigration laws.Through my research, I found a few potential paths to citizenship but focused on Poland. My grandfather was Polish, and I had his Polish passport, so the process was straightforward.Most countries require original documents issued in that country, such as a birth certificate or baptismal certificate, to successfully apply for citizenship. In some cases, immigration attorneys can help track down these types of documents.<h2 id="8631757a-1b47-4b14-9dfb-f4aaef97b3f2">It was worth it for me to look into alternative paths to citizenship, too</h2><div type="image" title="view of Belem Tower in portugal" height="3456" width="4608" msid="115063144" hostid="261" sizebytes="1349042"></div>Although a common path to citizenship is through descent, several countries offer alternate avenues. It's worth looking into different immigration laws, especially if tracing exact roots and finding original documents isn't possible.I was able to get Portuguese citizenship by proving I am a descendant of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th Century. Although the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.lvpadvogados.com/nationality-for-descendants-of-sephardic-jews-to-end-in-december">deadline to apply for nationality</a> under that specific Portuguese law was January 1, 2024, similar laws may exist in other countries.For example, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spain-is-betting-on-immigrants-to-boost-its-economy-2024-10">Spain grants citizenship</a> to those who fled the Franco dictatorship during the Spanish Civil War and their descendants. Austria and Germany also offer it to the descendants of Jews who fled the Nazis.In some cases, countries will even give you citizenship in exchange for a sizable investment, like real estate.<h2 id="72ec9f94-49aa-4a80-8e9b-41337a1f10ee">Connecting with others going through the same process helped a lot</h2>One of the best decisions I made was joining social-media groups for Americans looking to gain dual citizenship.I regularly received tips and swift answers to questions from people who were experiencing the same thing as me. It was also a great way to connect with people with similar heritage.<h2 id="de72d8fc-7b74-450f-b0db-7b591e59483c">Hiring a local immigration attorney gave me a lot of peace</h2>Before investing a lot of time and money in the citizenship process, I wanted to get an honest assessment of my chances.To ease my mind, I had free consultations with an attorney in Poland and one in Portugal. From there, I hired them to help me troubleshoot problems.Although hiring an attorney isn't always required, I thought it was time and money well spent. I was also very glad I used local attorneys who are experts in their country's process.<h2 id="db066f00-4f42-4142-b7dd-7fac176e1218">I had to gather a lot of documents before submitting my applications</h2>Poland and Portugal required a ton of documents to apply for citizenship.In both cases, my local attorney filled out the necessary forms, but I was responsible for obtaining everything else. I needed to submit my birth certificate and marriage certificate, among others.Because my Polish citizenship is based on descent, I also needed to submit documents proving that I was descended from my grandfather, including my grandparent's marriage certificate and my parents' birth certificates.For my Portuguese citizenship, I was able to submit a letter from a rabbi about cultural practices and proof that my grandfather was buried in a Sephardic section of a cemetery. I also needed to submit an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-application-background-checks-employment-history-drug-screening-2023-6">FBI background check</a>.Once I gathered all the documents, my attornies submitted my applications for me.<h2 id="263e23e6-7a65-4b1b-9613-d1ba421004f9">It took a long time to get citizenship</h2><div type="image" title="jamie's kids posing in a town square in krakow poland" height="3024" width="4032" msid="115063148" hostid="261" sizebytes="529724"></div>After submitting, there was nothing to do but wait.My application for Polish citizenship was granted in about a year. I didn't get Portuguese citizenship until nearly three years after I applied.Waiting was the most frustrating part of the process. However, once I held my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-powerful-passports-world-ranked-2023-1">new passports</a> in my hand, I forgot about it.I love having the freedom to move abroad. Now that my children also have dual citizenship, I rest easy knowing that they have the same opportunity.

I'm an American who got citizenship in 2 European countries without setting foot in either one. Here's how I did it.

Andrew Webber's forever war 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US is trying to shut down the Darién Gap, a land route used by thousands to reach its borders.</li><li>It's paying for migrants' repatriation out of Panama in exchange for the latter closing the corridor.</li></ul>The US has agreed to fund repatriation for people who entered Panama illegally in exchange for the latter shutting down a main corridor for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-migrants-ecuador-key-entry-point-visa-free-access-2024-6">migrants traveling by land</a> to the US-Mexico border."This program will help the Panamanian government to remove foreign nationals who do not have a legal basis to remain in Panama," the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/07/01/united-states-signs-arrangement-panama-implement-removal-flight-program">Department of Homeland Security wrote in a statement on Monday.</a>The funding will involve the US paying for flights out of Panama and "supporting training and capacity building to strengthen and institutionalize safe, humane repatriation processes," the statement said.The amount allocated to these flights, provided by the State Department, was not announced.<div type="image" title="Migrants arrive at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darien, Panama, on June 28, 2024." height="4128" width="6192" msid="111424810" hostid="261" sizebytes="2381758"></div>The <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-removal-homeland-security-panama-9b6056567ec797140dfae1d7efe4f693">Associated Press reported</a> that the new deal will see the US paying for charter and commercial flights to return migrants to their home countries.It cited two senior administration officials who were not named, who also said Panama would choose who is repatriated based on its laws.This agreement, signed by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, comes as Panama inaugurates its new president, José Raúl Mulino.It will see Panama closing off the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/darien-gap-2017-3">Darién Gap</a>, a treacherous stretch of rainforest that at least 520,000 migrants walked through in 2023 on their way north. Another 174,000 people were recorded using the route this year.<div type="image" title="Migrants walk by the jungle near Bajo Chiquito village, the first border control of the Darien Province in Panama, on September 22, 2023." height="2667" width="4000" msid="111424805" hostid="261" sizebytes="699832"></div>The corridor, regularly plied by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/colombian-cartel-profiting-off-of-migrants-going-through-deadly-jungle-2021-10">cartels and paramilitary forces</a>, starts in Colombia and ends in Panama. It typically takes about 5 days or more of arduous trekking to finish the 66-mile journey.Several popular exit points from the Darién Gap are staffed by humanitarian agencies such as Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF, who provide medical aid and essentials to the migrants but are increasingly <a target="_blank" href="https://reliefweb.int/report/panama/migrants-arriving-panama-urgent-need-assistance">overwhelmed by a growing influx of trekkers.</a><div type="image" title="Migrants line up to receive food at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darién, Panama, on June 27, 2024." height="5454" width="8181" msid="111424811" hostid="261" sizebytes="1815190"></div>The Panamanian government has typically not repatriated migrants who enter the country via the Darién Gap, but it's been managing some infrastructure to house them as they pass through.Once in Panama, many migrants continue their journey through Central America, crossing at least five transnational borders to reach Mexico and eventually making their way to the US southern border.US border patrol encounters with migrants in the southwest hit record highs in December, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters">with over 301,000 incidents logged</a>. Nearly 2.5 million migrant encounters were reported in the 2023 fiscal year, and this year's numbers are on track to hit a similar level.<h2 id="d22cec2b-9d91-4f84-8097-078077989e89">Authorities already struggle to manage the Darién Gap</h2>Yet closing the Darién Gap is no small feat. In April 2023, the US and Panama launched a <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/darien-gap-panama-colombia-us-migrants-cf0cd1e9de2119208c9af186e53e09b7">60-day campaign</a> to curb illegal migration from the corridor.In June of that year, Panama <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/panama-darien-colombia-migrants-1644cedd4389825fecda77bf26415290">assigned 1,200 immigration agents, border police, and naval air service members</a> to target criminal groups that guide and exploit migrants traveling through the Darién Gap.Hundreds of thousands still used the crossing afterward.<div type="image" title="Migrants walk by the jungle near Bajo Chiquito village, the first border control of the Darién Province in Panama, on September 22, 2023." height="2667" width="4000" msid="111424808" hostid="261" sizebytes="1118704"></div>Mulino, Panama's new president, has vowed to solve immigration issues in the country. He <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/panama-mulino-immigration-darien-gap-31f214b8c9885c6e9f943c5ed9cc9ac1">announced on his first day in office</a> that the country would no longer be "a path open to thousands of people who enter our country illegally."Illegal immigration has increasingly come under the spotlight in US politics, particularly for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcconnell-trump-immigration-ukraine-deal-mike-johnson-congress-republicans-2">Republican leaders</a> who have accused the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/immigration-border-security-biden-trump-2024-election">Biden administration</a> of allowing border security to grow lax.On June 4, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-secure-the-border/#:~:text=President%20Biden%20issued%20a%20proclamation,into%20the%20United%20States%20unlawfully.">temporarily restricts entry for non-US citizens</a> who enter through the southwest border illegally. His campaign highlighted that <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/26/politics/migrant-apprehensions-dropped-40-percent/index.html">border officials' seven-day encounter average dropped 40%</a>.But managing the immigration crisis is proving to be a delicate political and economic balancing act. Biden previously came under fire from progressives for referring to a Venezuelan migrant charged with murder as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/progressive-democrats-biden-laken-riley-immigration-illegal-state-union-2024-3">"an illegal."</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/immigration-us-labor-jobs-market-growth-recession-oversupply-outlook-layoffs-2024-4">Several analysts</a> also say immigrants have helped <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/immigration-labor-shortage-immigrants-us-economy-jobs-workers-retirement-inflation-2024-2">relieve a labor shortage in the US</a> and that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stagflation-recession-trump-policy-tariff-immigration-deportation-economy-outlook-jpmorgan-2024-7">overly aggressive deportation programs</a>, such as the one suggested by presidential candidate Donald Trump, would risk stagnating the economy.

The US will pay for migrants' flights out of Panama to close a route used by over 700,000 people to reach the US-Mexico border

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US economy will avoid a recession due to AI, immigration, and high-income consumers, said Michael Arone.</li><li>AI will boost productivity and immigration will dampen inflation, the State Street investment strategist said.</li></ul>The US economy will keep growing and ultimately avoid a recession thanks to artificial intelligence, immigration, and rich people.That's according to State Street chief investment strategist Michael Arone, who said in a recent note that even as the Federal Reserve <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/recession-outlook-stock-market-economy-fed-rate-cuts-forecast-siegel-2024-7">keeps monetary policy in restrictive territory</a> via high interest rates, that won't be enough to send the economy into a tailspin."The risks are growing that the stubborn Fed gradually then suddenly puts the economy in recession," he said. "But the economy may narrowly escape the dreaded recession outcome for these three reasons."<h3 id="19e07f75-758b-4469-8f35-6abfdf149220">'Artificial intelligence is the real deal'</h3>Even though AI technologies are in the early innings, Arone says they hold a lot of promise <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-roaring-20s-rapid-growth-stock-market-analysis-ed-yardeni-2024-1">for boosting economic productivity,</a> increasing company profits, and igniting further growth for businesses."Recent studies assert that AI can improve productivity across a wide range of jobs by 20% to 80%. That compares favorably to another general-purpose technology, steam power," he said.Arone notes that steam power sparked the Industrial Revolution, and that technology increased productivity by just 18% to 22% when it was installed in factories.If AI can improve productivity by a multiple of that, it could unlock significant economic benefits in the future — and those benefits should more than outweigh any policy mistake by the Fed, Arone said.<h3 id="64bb3945-9bc5-49be-b7dd-8579fcc1e424">'Immigration delivers surprising economic benefits'</h3>Americans can thank immigrants for the continued progress in battling inflation, according to Arone."Many people underappreciated the role that increasing immigration has played in stabilizing the post-pandemic labor market without further flattering inflationary pressures," he said.Wage inflation soared during the early days of the pandemic, which stoked overall inflation to a cycle peak of 9.1% in June 2022. But the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-economy-prediction-immigration-population-growth-housing-market-gdp-cbo-2024-2#:~:text=The%20US%20economy%20will%20grow%20an%20additional%20%247%20trillion%20over,from%20the%20Congressional%20Budget%20Office.">influx of more than 1.5 million immigrants in 2023</a> helped balance out supply and demand in the labor market, Arone said."The pace of immigration increases over the past couple of years is consistent with past economic expansions. And, with job openings remaining elevated in immigrant-dependent service industries, participation rates are likely to increase over the next two years, further boosting the labor market," he said.Arone also notes that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-economy-prediction-immigration-population-growth-housing-market-gdp-cbo-2024-2#:~:text=The%20US%20economy%20will%20grow%20an%20additional%20%247%20trillion%20over,from%20the%20Congressional%20Budget%20Office.">increase in immigrants can have a compounding impact on the US economy overtime.</a> He says while this set of workers will typically take low-skill service jobs upon their arrival in the country, some of them will become entrepreneurs and stoke innovation, consumption, and fiscal contributions.<h3 id="dfd6c8e3-d043-469b-aee5-4490e932a6b3">'High-end consumers are in great shape'</h3>For all the concerns about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/young-americans-fall-behind-credit-card-auto-payments-delinquency-rates-2024-2">rising delinquency rates</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-economy-debt-credit-card-debt-1-trillion-interest-rates-2023-9#:~:text=US%20credit%20card%20debt%20hit,tips%20into%20a%20steep%20recession.">more than $1 trillion in credit card debt,</a> Arone says the high-income cohort of the US population is in strong financial shape.He says that's important because people who earn $150,000 or more are responsible for a 40% of US consumer spending."They own 85% of stocks, 80% of bonds, and two-thirds of liquid assets. Yet, they only make up about one-third of consumer credit card balances," Arone said, citing data from Empirical Research Partners.This demographic is on pace to see their wages grow 5% this year, and they are expected to increase their spending by 8% this year, which could be even higher if inflation continues to fall and stock and home prices continue to rise, Arone said."In a departure from past periods, higher stock and home prices combined with a significant increase in their interest income has enabled top earners to spend solidly throughout this tighter monetary policy cycle," he said.Taken together, this suggests to Arone that the US economy is on track for solid growth in the coming quarters and will ultimately avoid a recession, and that should enable a continued rise in the stock market."A restrictive Fed won't stop the music this time around because the economy's moving to a new rhythm," he said.

AI, immigration, and rich people will save the US economy from a recession, Wall Street strategist says

The US has received sufficient number of applications needed to reach the <keyword id="10784391" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="congressionally" source="Orion">Congressionally</keyword> mandated 65,000 H1-B <keyword id="6359421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa" source="Orion">visa</keyword> cap for the fiscal year 2023, the country's federal agency for immigration services said on Tuesday. The <keyword id="6358066" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="h-1b-visa" source="Orion">H-1B visa</keyword> is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire thousands of employees each year from countries like <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> and China. The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians. We have received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the Congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year 2023, the <keyword id="368921" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="us-citizenship-and-immigration-services" source="Orion">US Citizenship and Immigration Services</keyword> (<keyword id="137642" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="uscis" source="Orion">USCIS</keyword>) said in a statement. USCIS has completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2023 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show, Not Selected: Not selected not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration, it said. Meanwhile, the federal agency will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said. Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2023 H-1B cap, it said. However, USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US, change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers, allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions, it added. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/10000-investment-in-gensol-engineering-ev-stock-gave-2-77-lakh-return-in-a-year/articleshow/93740070.cms">This EV firm rose 2600% in a year: ₹10,000 invested in this stock a year ago is worth ₹2.77 lakh</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/dreamfolks-services-ipo-opens-today-check-out-important-details-related-to-the-ipo/articleshow/93740178.cms">DreamFolks Services IPO opens today — Check out important details related to the IPO</a>

You Searched For "US Citizenship and Immigration Services" and got 9 results

Donald Trump strikes again: Ex-President proposes automatic green cards for foreign graduates of US colleges

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My husband and I moved from the US to Canada 13 years ago. We love the free healthcare here and the great friends we made.

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Trump's immigration crackdown could deplete the construction workforce and make housing more expensive

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I'm an American who got citizenship in 2 European countries without setting foot in either one. Here's how I did it.

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Andrew Webber's forever war

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The US will pay for migrants' flights out of Panama to close a route used by over 700,000 people to reach the US-Mexico border

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AI, immigration, and rich people will save the US economy from a recession, Wall Street strategist says

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US has reached the H-1B visa limit for the financial year of 2023

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