Green card backlog could shorten with Obama’s executive order

By Balitang America Staff, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Aug. 21, 2014

REWOOD CITY, Calif. – Could President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration actually shorten the backlog in family-based petitions that has affected so many of our kababayans?

That may be the case if the president listens to labor and family groups’ recommendations.

White House officials say Obama is considering major changes in America’s immigration system after meeting with various groups.

Obama’s executive orders could include sparing undocumented immigrants from deportation while also helping documented ones get their visas easier and faster.

Supporters say this could discourage illegal immigration because the government is providing more visa options for immigrants.

Among the requests from labor and family groups are:

• Free-up about 800,000 visas the first year
• Lessen limitations for businesses trying to hire foreign workers
• Shorten decades of backlog for green cards

Immigration lawyer Atty. Lou Tancinco told Balitang America that if such an executive order is issued by the president, the Filipino community would stand to gain from it.

“If this is going to happen there will be shorter waiting times for thousands of Filipinos who are waiting to be reunited with their families,” Tancinco said. “Right now the backlog ranges from 20 to 25, or 15 years, for those who are single adult children. If this is going to happen the waiting times may be cut maybe up to half of that, maybe just 10 years or seven years.”

She added: “For F2A petitions, if there has to be some changes, it might even become current.”