Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted in various media outlets about possible immigration changes under the Biden-Harris administration:

  • Los Angeles Times, “On Latin America, Biden’s Brand of Diplomacy Will Be a Major Shift From Trump.” Steve said that President-elect Biden will “walk a tightrope on dealing with immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.” He said, “If people believe the U.S. government is becoming more liberal on immigration, we may see a new wave of people … try to enter the U.S. But if the new administration continues the hard-line approach of the Trump administration, Biden will be called ‘deporter in chief,’ just as former President Obama was.” Steve predicted that Biden will move cautiously, perhaps temporarily maintaining the controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers while adding judges to expedite immigration cases.
  • Associated Press, published by many newspapers, including U.S. News and World Report, “Some Big, Early Shifts on Immigration Expected Under Biden.” Steve predicted it would “take four years to undo all the damage that the Trump administration has done.”
  • Chronicle of Higher Education, “Biden’s Victory Has Elated International Students, But the Road to Lasting Reform is Long.” Steve said President Trump has “effectively built an invisible wall.” He noted, ” Those who choose to come to the U.S. to contribute to our campuses and our communities need to know that in choosing to do so there will be processes in place that are fair, which they can rely upon to make choices for themselves and their families.”
  • Latitudes, “A Biden Agenda.” Steve noted that the future President Biden could use presidential orders to set policy, but noted that he could face legal challenges to his authority from a variety of entities, including conservative states and anti-immigration organizations.
  • Steve was quoted by Law360 in “Trump Could Further Rattle Immigration Law Before His Exit.” Commenting on Trump administration efforts to rush efforts to finalize policies restricting legal immigration before he leaves office, Steve said, “I fear that there will be no letup of immigration restrictions occurring between now and Inauguration Day.”
  • Steve was quoted by Ideaspace.com in “How Do We Reconceptualize and Remake Our Immigration System for the 21st Century?” Steve said, “Our immigration laws have not been updated since 1990. But just as important, they haven’t been reconceptualized. So we’ve just tacked on different ideas. One idea applies to this visa category but not another. It would be great if Congress started from scratch and asked the question: What sort of immigration system should we have for the 21st Century? … It’s very clear that on a macroeconomic level immigration benefits the United States, but on the micro-level … people hear stories about their friend who was replaced by a foreign worker, they think, ‘Oh, immigration is bad.’ It’s easier for people to feel better about immigration when the economy is booming as opposed to when we’re in a recession. Also, when leaders are praising immigration or trying to portray immigrants as ‘rapists and thugs’—that’s a big part of it, too. It matters what leaders are saying and how they’re trying to educate the public.” Commenting on a report Steve co-authored, “Recruiting for the Future: A Realistic Road to a Points-Tested Visa Program in the United States,” Steve said, “You can set up points for anything you want. In the system we came up with we suggested offering points if you’re a woman, or if you come from a developing country. Traditional point systems would be biased toward white males from European countries. It’s easier for someone in Europe to have a PhD than someone in Africa. So the question is how do you overcome that? No system is going to be perfect but the point system is definitely something to consider.” He argued in favor of an incremental approach that is more politically plausible than asking Congress to tackle comprehensive immigration reform right away. He said he hopes a pilot program can grow, especially if it is designed to remain fluid and responsive to geopolitical and economic dynamics. He also noted that with a point system, “we could at least make something that is more transparent for employers, Americans, and potential immigrants.” Steve co-authored an op-ed, “President-elect Biden: Eliminate Chaos as a Deliberate Immigration Tactic,” published in The Hill. The article notes that the “cumulative impact of the policy assault against immigrants is far greater than any one change,” and recommends actions President-elect Joe Biden can take to rebuild immigrants’ trust in America.