New Jersey Sees Dramatic Increase in Driver’s Licenses after Permitting Undocumented Individuals to Apply The state of New Jersey has seen a more than 60% increase in new driver’s licenses issued since May 1, as the new state law took effect law that permitted residents to obtain licenses regardless of immigration status. The Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) does not keep records of immigration status and thus could not confirm the cause of the increase. However,…

Businesses in busy tourist areas, which count on summer months for the spike in travelers, are struggling to hire sufficient workers to meet their high labor demand. Employers are feeling the slump in workers the hard way, as COVID-19 restrictions are being relaxed and most states have fully reopened. Most employers in such tourist areas rely on temporary workers from abroad to meet the surge in seasonal demand. Unfortunately, the travel bans and restrictions for…

New DACA Ruling Suspends New Applications; Biden Vows to Appeal Decision In a lengthy opinion, United States District Court Judge Andrew Hanen ruled that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or “DACA,” finding that the implementation of the program violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs federal rulemaking. Judge Hanen’s decision is, however, limited to new applications, and does not affect current DACA recipients, nor does it bar future renewal applications for immigrants now protected under…

After nearly three decades, the York County Prison will no longer detain immigrants who face deportation proceedings. This move was applauded by many immigrant advocates, who have strongly felt that detainees can face removal proceedings without being detained. The decision to close the detention center was caused by a budgetary issue. The Immigration Court at York is also closing. Around four months ago, the Berks County Prison in Pennsylvania released many detainees. That left Pike …

The food and agriculture sector of the United States is facing a looming shortage of workers. This was a concern even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe, and the shortage of laborers has worsened with time. Routinely, the labor department has noticed a demand for laborers that is higher than the number of visas allotted under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Agricultural Workforce Coalition (AWC), along with almost 300 other trade unions,…