United States President, Joe Biden, has signed some executive orders thereby lifting the immigrant visa ban placed on Nigerians by his predecessor, Donald Trump.
citing Nigeria’s lack of a robust database, Trump had in February 2020, placed an immigrant visa ban on Nigeria.
Mary-Beth Leonard, the American Ambassador to Nigeria, stated at the time that Nigeria must improve on its data intelligence to ease the investigation of its citizens wishing to migrate to the US, if it wants the ban lifted.
The Nigerian government subsequently set up a committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonisation, to address the complaints of the US which led to the recent push for all Nigerians to register with the National Identity Management Commission and obtain a National Identity Number.
With Biden’s reversal of Trump’s order, Nigerians will now be able to apply for green cards.
Biden on Wednesday began reversing Trump’s immigration policies, part of an aggressive push to roll back some of the most controversial actions of his predecessor and chart a new course for the nation.
In one of his first acts as president, Biden signed an executive action ending restrictions on travel and immigration from some predominantly Muslim countries.
READ ALSO: Federal Executive Council Approves Retirement Age For Teachers
The measure directs the State Department to resume visa processing for those countries and develop a plan to address people affected, such as those who were denied entry to the US.
The action also orders reviews of other “extreme vetting” practices used by the Trump administration, while directing the US to improve information-sharing with foreign governments to bolster screening of travelers.
Biden is also proposing a sweeping immigration bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for roughly 11 million people living illegally in the US White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday night that the president had sent the text of his proposal to Congress.
The legislation marks a stark contrast with the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict both legal and illegal immigration during its four years in power.
The new president issued a proclamation ordering a stop to the construction of Trump’s wall along the border with Mexico. It rescinds the national emergency that Trump declared to secure funding for the wall.
