House Approves GOP Budget Resolution in Divisive Vote
The House passed the GOP budget resolution on a nearly party-line vote,
allocating up to $200 billion for border security and interior enforcement,
Enabling the President to carry out his plans for mass deportations.
Resolution requires major spending cuts,
Including cuts to programs like Medicaid and food assistance,
and increases immigration spending for ICE and CBP.
The next step involves reconciling this bill,
with the bill passed by the Senate last week,
A process that will be politically challenging due to complex deals
and slim GOP vote margins.
DOS has updated the categories of applicants eligible,
For a waiver of the nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interview.
This includes certain visa categories such as A-1, A-2, G-1 through G-4,
and others, as well as applicants for diplomatic visas
or those with a visa that expired less than 12 months ago.
Applicants must meet specific criteria, and consular officers may still require in-person interviews based on individual circumstances or local conditions
The Hill reports that a federal judge recently blocked the Trump Administration’s attempt to suspend the U.S. refugee program, siding with resettlement groups that challenged the President’s Day One order. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead ruled that while the President has some discretion over refugee admissions, his actions were an “effective nullification of congressional will.”
The decision grants a preliminary injunction, preventing the 90-day suspension of refugee processing, which had also cut funding to organizations assisting refugees.