<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/another-delay-britains-may-promises-brexit-vote-in-parliament-by-march-12-199386">Prime Minister Theresa May</a> denied accusations by some in her governing Conservative Party that she had "a problem with immigration", saying on Sunday that while it had been good for Britain, people just wanted more control.

Last week, Anna Soubry, a Conservative lawmaker who quit May's party over what she called the government's "disastrous handling of Brexit", accused May of having "a problem with immigration" that had tied her hands in Brexit negotiations.

Asked if she had a problem with immigration, May said: "No. As I have consistently said immigration has been good for this country."

May, who was interior minister for six years, has made immigration one of the focal points for her talks to leave the European Union, saying Britain's 2016 vote to leave the bloc was a sign that people no longer wanted freedom of movement, on the EU's main pillars.

Prime Minister Theresa May denied accusations by some in her governing Conservative Party that she had "a problem with immigration", saying on Sunday that while it had been good for Britain, people just wanted more control.

Prime Minister Theresa May denied accusations by some in her governing Conservative Party that she had "a problem with immigration", saying on Sunday that while it had been good for Britain, people just wanted more control. Last week, Anna Soubry, a Conservative lawmaker who quit May's party over what she called the government's "disastrous handling of Brexit", accused May of having "a problem with immigration" that had tied her hands in Brexit negotiations. Asked if she had a problem with immigration, May said: "No. As I have consistently said immigration has been good for this country." May, who was interior minister for six years, has made immigration one of the focal points for her talks to leave the European Union, saying Britain's 2016 vote to leave the bloc was a sign that people no longer wanted freedom of movement, on the EU's main pillars.

Immigration is good for Britain, we just need control: PM May

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was stopped from leaving the country by security officials at the Lahore airport late Tuesday night.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, Gilani had reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to catch his flight for South Korea via Bangkok to attend a conference. However, his name was on the no-fly list.

"At the immigration counter, Mr Gilani was told that his name was placed on them, therefore, he could not leave the country," the FIA said, adding that it was following orders from the interior ministry.

Reacting strongly, the senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader said he had always appeared in court in the different ongoing cases against him.

"There was no point in placing my name on (the) no-fly list. I was not fleeing the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan's sole agenda seems to be targeting his political opponents," he said.

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government should have informed me about blacklisting my name, Gilani said, adding that he will challenge the "illegal decision of the government".

Gilani is facing several corruption cases and last week, the accountability court of Islamabad had rejected his plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in a case related to awarding alleged illegal advertising contract to a private ad agency.

He is accused of misusing authority to illegally grant Messrs Midas an advertising contract in contravention of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.

The act is reported to have cost the national treasury Rs 129.07 million.&nbsp;

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was stopped from leaving the country by security officials at the Lahore airport late Tuesday night. According to the Federal Investigation Agency, Gilani had reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to catch his flight for South Korea via Bangkok to attend a conference.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was stopped from leaving the country by security officials at the Lahore airport late Tuesday night. According to the Federal Investigation Agency, Gilani had reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to catch his flight for South Korea via Bangkok to attend a conference. However, his name was on the no-fly list. "At the immigration counter, Mr Gilani was told that his name was placed on them, therefore, he could not leave the country," the FIA said, adding that it was following orders from the interior ministry. Reacting strongly, the senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader said he had always appeared in court in the different ongoing cases against him. "There was no point in placing my name on (the) no-fly list. I was not fleeing the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan's sole agenda seems to be targeting his political opponents," he said. The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government should have informed me about blacklisting my name, Gilani said, adding that he will challenge the "illegal decision of the government". Gilani is facing several corruption cases and last week, the accountability court of Islamabad had rejected his plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in a case related to awarding alleged illegal advertising contract to a private ad agency. He is accused of misusing authority to illegally grant Messrs Midas an advertising contract in contravention of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. The act is reported to have cost the national treasury Rs 129.07 million.

Former Pakistan PM Gilani stopped from leaving country

A British woman was handed a six-month jail term Wednesday for slapping an immigration officer in Bali after she missed her flight because of an expired tourist visa.

A court on the Indonesian holiday island found Auj-e Taqaddas, 43, guilty of assaulting the officer at Ngurah Rai international airport in July last year.

A viral video of the episode showed the woman launch into an expletive-laden rant when she was told she would have to pay a $4,000 fine for overstaying her visa by several months.&nbsp;

She then hit an officer, accusing him of making her miss a flight.

Taqaddas, who vowed to appeal the verdict, was physically taken to the courthouse on Wednesday after missing several earlier court dates, authorities said.&nbsp;

She was not detained before the sentencing.

"We have been monitoring her movements in the past week and this afternoon we forcibly took her to the court," said prosecutor Waher Tulus Jaya Tarihoran.

"She fought back, hitting and kicking our prosecutors."

A British woman was handed a six-month jail term Wednesday for slapping an immigration officer in Bali after she missed her flight because of an expired tourist visa.

A British woman was handed a six-month jail term Wednesday for slapping an immigration officer in Bali after she missed her flight because of an expired tourist visa. A court on the Indonesian holiday island found Auj-e Taqaddas, 43, guilty of assaulting the officer at Ngurah Rai international airport in July last year. A viral video of the episode showed the woman launch into an expletive-laden rant when she was told she would have to pay a $4,000 fine for overstaying her visa by several months. She then hit an officer, accusing him of making her miss a flight. Taqaddas, who vowed to appeal the verdict, was physically taken to the courthouse on Wednesday after missing several earlier court dates, authorities said. She was not detained before the sentencing. "We have been monitoring her movements in the past week and this afternoon we forcibly took her to the court," said prosecutor Waher Tulus Jaya Tarihoran. "She fought back, hitting and kicking our prosecutors."

British woman jailed for slapping Bali immigration officer

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has sent a demarche to the United States embassy in New Delhi in connection with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-embassy-opens-hotline-after129-indian-students-arrested-in-us-pay-and-stay-visa-scam-194502">immigration scam</a>&nbsp;busted by US&nbsp;authorities. that according to US immigration authorities tried to exploit the US student visa system.

Some 129 Indian students and eight other individuals were arrested after the US Department of Homeland Security conducted a sting operation to bust the scam that had included the setting up of a&nbsp;fake university in Farmington Hills, Michigan, US.&nbsp;

According to court documents accessed by WION, the students were allegedly using a "pay to stay" scheme — and were aware that they would not have to attend class&nbsp;but still be able to maintain their student visa status.&nbsp;

In the demarche, India called for the "need for immediate consular access for Indian officials to the detainees" and underlined that the students, "who may have been duped into enrolling in the ‘University’ should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them."&nbsp;

So far, about 30 Indian students have been contacted by Indian consular officers.

Meanwhile, the US embassy spokesperson has confirmed that it received a Demarche from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Speaking to WION, Deputy Consul General of the Indian consulate in Houston Surendra Adhana said, "Each consulate in the USA is getting consular access to students detained in their jurisdiction. We got these two. There will be a third one in San Antonio (on Saturday) despite it being a holiday"

Officials from the Indian consulate in Houston have met the detained students at the Montgomery Processing Centre and Prairieland Detention Centre in Texas.

New Delhi has asked the US to share all details of the students and asked them to "release them from detention at the earliest and not to resort to deportation against their will."

All the arrested Indian students have been put on "removal proceedings". The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told WION that it will "seek to maintain them in its custody pending the outcome of those proceedings."&nbsp;

This comes even as the Indian mission in Washington has established a 24/7 helpline -- +1-202-322-1190 and +1-202-340-2590 and an email: cons3.washington@mea.gov.in &nbsp;for assistance related to the detention of Indian students.

India has said that its Embassy and Consulates in the United States attach "the highest priority to the welfare of the detained students" and "will continue to work with the US authorities and other stakeholders to address the issue."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has sent a demarche to the United States embassy in New Delhi in connection with the immigration scam busted by US authorities.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has sent a demarche to the United States embassy in New Delhi in connection with the immigration scam busted by US authorities. that according to US immigration authorities tried to exploit the US student visa system. Some 129 Indian students and eight other individuals were arrested after the US Department of Homeland Security conducted a sting operation to bust the scam that had included the setting up of a fake university in Farmington Hills, Michigan, US. According to court documents accessed by WION, the students were allegedly using a "pay to stay" scheme — and were aware that they would not have to attend class but still be able to maintain their student visa status. In the demarche, India called for the "need for immediate consular access for Indian officials to the detainees" and underlined that the students, "who may have been duped into enrolling in the ‘University’ should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them." So far, about 30 Indian students have been contacted by Indian consular officers. Meanwhile, the US embassy spokesperson has confirmed that it received a Demarche from the Ministry of External Affairs. Speaking to WION, Deputy Consul General of the Indian consulate in Houston Surendra Adhana said, "Each consulate in the USA is getting consular access to students detained in their jurisdiction. We got these two. There will be a third one in San Antonio (on Saturday) despite it being a holiday" Officials from the Indian consulate in Houston have met the detained students at the Montgomery Processing Centre and Prairieland Detention Centre in Texas. New Delhi has asked the US to share all details of the students and asked them to "release them from detention at the earliest and not to resort to deportation against their will." All the arrested Indian students have been put on "removal proceedings". The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told WION that it will "seek to maintain them in its custody pending the outcome of those proceedings." This comes even as the Indian mission in Washington has established a 24/7 helpline -- +1-202-322-1190 and +1-202-340-2590 and an email: cons3.washington@mea.gov.in for assistance related to the detention of Indian students. India has said that its Embassy and Consulates in the United States attach "the highest priority to the welfare of the detained students" and "will continue to work with the US authorities and other stakeholders to address the issue."

Indian students arrested in immigration scam: India sends demarche to US

It is expected to be a long haul for the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/detention-of-indian-students-in-us-india-places-consular-request-says-according-highest-priority-194456"> eight Indians who were involved in the immigration scam</a> in the United States by enrolling 129 other Indians in a fake university in an attempt to exploit the US student visa system. These individuals have now been placed in "removal proceedings" and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has told WION that it will "seek to maintain them in its custody pending the outcome of those proceedings."&nbsp;

If convicted, the eight accused will face a maximum penalty of five years in a US federal prison.

The individuals who were arrested in the immigration scam are Barath Kakireddy, Suresh Kandala, Phanideep Karnati, Prem Rampeesa, Santosh Sama, Avinash Thakkallapally, Aswanth Nune and Naveen Prathipati.

It also looks difficult for the 129 Indians who enrolled themselves in the fake university and have been arrested. WION has accessed the court documents in which it has been mentioned that "Each of the foreign citizens who “enrolled” and made “tuition” payments to the University knew that they would not attend any actual classes, earn credits, or make academic progress toward an actual degree in a particular field of study – a “pay to stay” scheme", clearly suggesting they are also considered culpable by US authorities.

It further added, "each student knew that the University’s program was not approved by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was illegal and that discretion should be used when discussing the program with others."
<img alt="US Documents" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="957d9ff5-f1d6-478d-99b4-0757188a084d" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/us%201.jpg" />
 
&nbsp;All of them were arrested after the US Department of Homeland security did an operation by setting up a fake university in Farmington Hills, Michigan state of US.

This comes even as India has "highlighted" to the US government "that a distinction should be made between those involved in recruiting or enrolling students and students who have been duped or defrauded in the process."

The Ministry of external affairs in a press release said that it is "according the highest priority to the situation" arising out of the detention of Indian students in the United States and has placed a formal request for consular access for the students.&nbsp;

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) further said, "We are monitoring the situation closely and have impressed upon the US Government the need to address the situation at the earliest."

The Indian mission is in touch with US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security and has requested for a list of the detained students and other details such as place of detention and Identity.

Indian mission, according to MEA, is rendering "all assistance to Indian students in the US to deal with the emerging situation" and has also involved Indian community organizations in reaching out to the students.

It is expected to be a long haul for the eight Indians who were involved in the immigration scam in the United States by enrolling 129 other Indians in a fake university in an attempt to exploit the US student visa system.

It is expected to be a long haul for the eight Indians who were involved in the immigration scam in the United States by enrolling 129 other Indians in a fake university in an attempt to exploit the US student visa system. These individuals have now been placed in "removal proceedings" and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has told WION that it will "seek to maintain them in its custody pending the outcome of those proceedings." If convicted, the eight accused will face a maximum penalty of five years in a US federal prison. The individuals who were arrested in the immigration scam are Barath Kakireddy, Suresh Kandala, Phanideep Karnati, Prem Rampeesa, Santosh Sama, Avinash Thakkallapally, Aswanth Nune and Naveen Prathipati. It also looks difficult for the 129 Indians who enrolled themselves in the fake university and have been arrested. WION has accessed the court documents in which it has been mentioned that "Each of the foreign citizens who “enrolled” and made “tuition” payments to the University knew that they would not attend any actual classes, earn credits, or make academic progress toward an actual degree in a particular field of study – a “pay to stay” scheme", clearly suggesting they are also considered culpable by US authorities. It further added, "each student knew that the University’s program was not approved by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was illegal and that discretion should be used when discussing the program with others." All of them were arrested after the US Department of Homeland security did an operation by setting up a fake university in Farmington Hills, Michigan state of US. This comes even as India has "highlighted" to the US government "that a distinction should be made between those involved in recruiting or enrolling students and students who have been duped or defrauded in the process." The Ministry of external affairs in a press release said that it is "according the highest priority to the situation" arising out of the detention of Indian students in the United States and has placed a formal request for consular access for the students. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) further said, "We are monitoring the situation closely and have impressed upon the US Government the need to address the situation at the earliest." The Indian mission is in touch with US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security and has requested for a list of the detained students and other details such as place of detention and Identity. Indian mission, according to MEA, is rendering "all assistance to Indian students in the US to deal with the emerging situation" and has also involved Indian community organizations in reaching out to the students.

Immigration scam: Long haul for detained Indians as US puts its foot down

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-govt-shutdown-enters-2nd-month-tuesday-no-quick-end-in-sight-yet-191897">US President Donald Trump</a> has made 8,158 false or misleading claims since taking office, according to a media report.&nbsp;

The report came a day after Trump completed two years in office on Sunday.&nbsp;

The president averaged nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in his first year in office. But he hit nearly 16.5 a day in his second year, almost triple the pace, The Washington Post reported.

The paper quoted The Fact Checker's database -- that analyses, categorises and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president -- for its report.

According to the Fact Checker's database, Trump has made 8,158 "false or misleading claims" since taking office.&nbsp;

That includes an astonishing 6000-plus such claims in the president's second year, the paper said.

In the first 100 days, the president made 492 unsupported claims. He managed to top that number just in the first three weeks of 2019. In October, as he was barnstorming the country in advance of the mid-term elections, he made more than 1200 false or misleading claims, it said.

The biggest source of misleading claims is immigration, with a tally that&nbsp;has grown with the addition of 300 immigration claims in the past three weeks, for a total of 1,433, the report said.&nbsp;

"We started this project as part of our coverage of the president's first 100 days, largely because we could not possibly keep up with the pace and volume of the president's misstatements," the paper said.&nbsp;

Claims about foreign policy (900) and trade (854) rank second and third, followed by claims about the economy (790) and jobs (755). But there's also a grab-bag category of "miscellaneous" (899), which includes misleading attacks on the media or people the president perceives as enemies, the report said.

There were only 82 days -- or about 11 per cent of the time -- on which we recorded no claims. These were often days when the president golfed, it said.

But there were also 74 days, or about 10 per cent of his presidency, in which Trump made more than 30 claims. These were often days when he held campaign-style rallies, riffing without much of a script, the report said.&nbsp;

Trump has made many misleading claims about the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election, claiming 192 times a variation of the statement that it was a hoax perpetuated by Democrats, it said.

US President Donald Trump has made 8,158 false or misleading claims since taking office, according to a media report. The report came a day after Trump completed two years in office on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump has made 8,158 false or misleading claims since taking office, according to a media report. The report came a day after Trump completed two years in office on Sunday. The president averaged nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in his first year in office. But he hit nearly 16.5 a day in his second year, almost triple the pace, The Washington Post reported. The paper quoted The Fact Checker's database -- that analyses, categorises and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president -- for its report. According to the Fact Checker's database, Trump has made 8,158 "false or misleading claims" since taking office. That includes an astonishing 6000-plus such claims in the president's second year, the paper said. In the first 100 days, the president made 492 unsupported claims. He managed to top that number just in the first three weeks of 2019. In October, as he was barnstorming the country in advance of the mid-term elections, he made more than 1200 false or misleading claims, it said. The biggest source of misleading claims is immigration, with a tally that has grown with the addition of 300 immigration claims in the past three weeks, for a total of 1,433, the report said. "We started this project as part of our coverage of the president's first 100 days, largely because we could not possibly keep up with the pace and volume of the president's misstatements," the paper said. Claims about foreign policy (900) and trade (854) rank second and third, followed by claims about the economy (790) and jobs (755). But there's also a grab-bag category of "miscellaneous" (899), which includes misleading attacks on the media or people the president perceives as enemies, the report said. There were only 82 days -- or about 11 per cent of the time -- on which we recorded no claims. These were often days when the president golfed, it said. But there were also 74 days, or about 10 per cent of his presidency, in which Trump made more than 30 claims. These were often days when he held campaign-style rallies, riffing without much of a script, the report said. Trump has made many misleading claims about the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election, claiming 192 times a variation of the statement that it was a hoax perpetuated by Democrats, it said.

Trump has made over 8,000 false or misleading claims since taking office: Report

The UK government has released a White Paper on its post-Brexit visas and immigration strategy, which is expected to benefit Indian students and professionals as it focuses on skills rather than country of origin.

The UK's future skills-based immigration system, tabled in the House of Commons on Wednesday by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid, removes any cap on highly-skilled migrants from anywhere in the world and improves the post-study work offering for international students.

The proposals, set to be phased in from December 2021 after the proposed transition period for Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), claim to level the country's immigration playing field with the end of the free movement for people from within the 28-member economic bloc.

"As we leave the European Union, the free movement will end. This will be a system where it is workers' skills that matter, not which country they come from," <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-business-will-be-able-to-bring-in-high-skilled-workers-post-brexit-pm-may-180653">British Prime Minister Theresa May</a> said in her foreword to the strategy.

"We are taking a skills-based approach to ensure we can attract the brightest and best migrants to the UK," added Javid, who made a reference to his own Pakistani origins as the "son of immigrant parents".

Under the new proposals, an annual cap of 20,700 on the number of skilled work visas issued will be removed, likely to benefit doctors and IT professionals from India, among others. There will also be a new 12-month visa route for workers at any skill level for a temporary period to allow businesses to hire the staff they need on a time-bound basis.

"People arriving on this route will not be able to bring family members with them, won't accrue rights to settle in the UK and will have a 12-month cooling off period once their visa expires," the UK Home Office said.

The onerous requirement for labour market tests by employers wanting to sponsor an overseas skilled worker is also to be done away with.

The plans were broadly welcomed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which said the White Paper recognises the value offered by skilled workers from countries like India.

"Indian Industry has long called for a fair, transparent and skills-based immigration system, and today's proposals go some way to achieving these goals," said Jim Bligh, of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Chair of CII's UK India Business Forum.

"Tackling the UK's skills gaps, particularly in digital and technology, must remain a key focus for government and it is welcome that this paper recognises the value that skilled workers from overseas can bring to helping improve the UK's skills base,"&nbsp;he said.

Under changes proposed to attract international students to the UK, the government said it would "improve the current offer" to those who have completed a degree who want to stay on in the UK to work after they have completed their studies by offering six months' post-study leave to all Master's students and Bachelor's students studying at an institution with degree-awarding powers.

This is aimed at giving them more time to find permanent skilled work and to work temporarily during that period.

"We will also allow for students studying a Bachelor's level or above to be able to apply to switch into the skilled workers route up to three months before the end of their course in the UK, and from outside of the UK for two years after their graduation," the White Paper notes.

Universities UK International, the representative group for the country's higher education institutions which has been campaigning for a better post-study offer, said the proposals recognise the important contributions made by international students to the UK.

"Allowing graduates to stay on for longer to find work in the UK sends the message that international students are welcome here, and we value the skills they bring. These changes will have a real, positive impact on the students who come here to study and their opportunities after graduating," said Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International.

However, the group added that it will continue to campaign for a longer two-year post-study work visa.

As part of some of the more contentious aspects of the new immigration White Paper, the government will hold a consultation on a minimum salary requirement of 30,000 pounds for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas and low-skilled workers may be able to apply for short-term visas of up to a year.

The document forms the basis for the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, to be published on Thursday, which ends free movement for EU nationals and creates the legal framework for a future UK borders and immigration system after Brexit. It also creates parity in the way migrants can access the country's benefits system, which will apply equally to both EU and non-EU nationals.

The new system will be implemented in a phased approach from 2021, following an extensive 12-month programme of engagement with businesses, stakeholders and the public, the Home Office said.

While it does not make a specific reference to the ruling Conservative Party's manifesto pledge to bring immigration down to the tens of thousands annually, the government stressed that the target remains in place.&nbsp;

The UK government has released a White Paper on its post-Brexit visas and immigration strategy, which is expected to benefit Indian students and professionals as it focuses on skills rather than country of origin.

The UK government has released a White Paper on its post-Brexit visas and immigration strategy, which is expected to benefit Indian students and professionals as it focuses on skills rather than country of origin. The UK's future skills-based immigration system, tabled in the House of Commons on Wednesday by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid, removes any cap on highly-skilled migrants from anywhere in the world and improves the post-study work offering for international students. The proposals, set to be phased in from December 2021 after the proposed transition period for Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), claim to level the country's immigration playing field with the end of the free movement for people from within the 28-member economic bloc. "As we leave the European Union, the free movement will end. This will be a system where it is workers' skills that matter, not which country they come from," British Prime Minister Theresa May said in her foreword to the strategy. "We are taking a skills-based approach to ensure we can attract the brightest and best migrants to the UK," added Javid, who made a reference to his own Pakistani origins as the "son of immigrant parents". Under the new proposals, an annual cap of 20,700 on the number of skilled work visas issued will be removed, likely to benefit doctors and IT professionals from India, among others. There will also be a new 12-month visa route for workers at any skill level for a temporary period to allow businesses to hire the staff they need on a time-bound basis. "People arriving on this route will not be able to bring family members with them, won't accrue rights to settle in the UK and will have a 12-month cooling off period once their visa expires," the UK Home Office said. The onerous requirement for labour market tests by employers wanting to sponsor an overseas skilled worker is also to be done away with. The plans were broadly welcomed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which said the White Paper recognises the value offered by skilled workers from countries like India. "Indian Industry has long called for a fair, transparent and skills-based immigration system, and today's proposals go some way to achieving these goals," said Jim Bligh, of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Chair of CII's UK India Business Forum. "Tackling the UK's skills gaps, particularly in digital and technology, must remain a key focus for government and it is welcome that this paper recognises the value that skilled workers from overseas can bring to helping improve the UK's skills base," he said. Under changes proposed to attract international students to the UK, the government said it would "improve the current offer" to those who have completed a degree who want to stay on in the UK to work after they have completed their studies by offering six months' post-study leave to all Master's students and Bachelor's students studying at an institution with degree-awarding powers. This is aimed at giving them more time to find permanent skilled work and to work temporarily during that period. "We will also allow for students studying a Bachelor's level or above to be able to apply to switch into the skilled workers route up to three months before the end of their course in the UK, and from outside of the UK for two years after their graduation," the White Paper notes. Universities UK International, the representative group for the country's higher education institutions which has been campaigning for a better post-study offer, said the proposals recognise the important contributions made by international students to the UK. "Allowing graduates to stay on for longer to find work in the UK sends the message that international students are welcome here, and we value the skills they bring. These changes will have a real, positive impact on the students who come here to study and their opportunities after graduating," said Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK International. However, the group added that it will continue to campaign for a longer two-year post-study work visa. As part of some of the more contentious aspects of the new immigration White Paper, the government will hold a consultation on a minimum salary requirement of 30,000 pounds for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas and low-skilled workers may be able to apply for short-term visas of up to a year. The document forms the basis for the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, to be published on Thursday, which ends free movement for EU nationals and creates the legal framework for a future UK borders and immigration system after Brexit. It also creates parity in the way migrants can access the country's benefits system, which will apply equally to both EU and non-EU nationals. The new system will be implemented in a phased approach from 2021, following an extensive 12-month programme of engagement with businesses, stakeholders and the public, the Home Office said. While it does not make a specific reference to the ruling Conservative Party's manifesto pledge to bring immigration down to the tens of thousands annually, the government stressed that the target remains in place.

UK's post-Brexit visa strategy to benefit Indian students, professionals

Britain will publishe&nbsp;proposals for an EU immigration crackdown after Brexit on Wednesday as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-puts-3500-soldiers-on-standby-for-no-deal-brexit-185166">business groups warn the economy is not ready for Britain to crash out of the European Union</a> without a divorce agreement in place.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said visas would be introduced for EU nationals arriving after Britain leaves the bloc and the new system would be based on skills, not nationality, putting EU and non-EU &nbsp;citizens on the same footing.

"It will be a system that will bring net migration down to more sustainable levels," he told BBC radio, although he said there was "no specific target" for the reduction.

He said he hoped the new measures would put more pressure on employers "to look at the domestic workforce first".

'Misguided' approach to immigration 
Javid did not commit to an annual salary threshold for EU immigrants -- a highly contested proposal -- but said it could be "£30,000 (33,000 euros, $38,000) or thereabouts".

He said the threshold could be lowered to encourage foreign students to stay and work in the UK and for certain parts of the economy in which a labour shortage could be proven.

Many employers, including the National Health Service, have warned that £30,000 is too high and will severely limit their ability to hire EU nationals such as nurses.

The immigration proposals are aimed at winning over Brexit hardliners who have resisted voting in favour of the deal that Prime Minister Theresa May has struck with EU leaders.

But they will cause anger in parts of Britain, such as London, that have benefited from EU immigration.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the government's approach was "misguided" and "risks doing profound damage to growth, jobs and communities across London and the UK".

Migration levels already falling 
May has vowed to end free movement of people from Europe, saying that this was one of the main reasons that Britons voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum.

Immigration levels have already fallen since the referendum.

Net migration to Britain was around 280,000 last year, a decrease from levels of more than 300,000 in 2014 and 2015.

The announcement came as May prepared to hold her final question and answer session of the year in parliament, where she will face more trenchant criticism of her decision to delay a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal.

The main opposition Labour Party has asked for a no confidence motion against May, while smaller groups including the Scottish National Party have requested a similar vote against the government as a whole.

Neither motion is expected to be allowed to come to a vote.

May survived a separate no-confidence vote tabled by members of her own Conservative Party last week but she came out of the process badly bruised after more than a third of her parliamentary party opted to oust her.

Some hardline Conservative MPs have since said they could vote in favour of May's deal when it comes before parliament next month, although experts say the vote is still likely to go against the prime minister.

Businesses 'watching in horror' 
The deadlock in Westminster has raised the prospects of either a second referendum or of a no-deal Brexit when the negotiating time runs out on March 29 next year.

The government on Tuesday announced no-deal plans, which include drastic measures such as stockpiling imported chemicals to ensure safe drinking water and special flights from Europe to ensure continued supply of vital medicine.

The prospect of such an exit has caused widespread concern.

Britain's five leading business associations on Wednesday warned that companies have been "watching in horror as politicians have focused on factional disputes rather than practical steps that business needs to move forward".

The group, which included the Confederation of British Industry big business lobby and the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "The lack of progress in Westminster means the risk of a no-deal Brexit is rising". 
&nbsp;

Britain will publishe proposals for an EU immigration crackdown after Brexit on Wednesday as business groups warn the economy is not ready for Britain to crash out of the European Union without a divorce agreement in place.

Britain will publishe proposals for an EU immigration crackdown after Brexit on Wednesday as business groups warn the economy is not ready for Britain to crash out of the European Union without a divorce agreement in place. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said visas would be introduced for EU nationals arriving after Britain leaves the bloc and the new system would be based on skills, not nationality, putting EU and non-EU citizens on the same footing. "It will be a system that will bring net migration down to more sustainable levels," he told BBC radio, although he said there was "no specific target" for the reduction. He said he hoped the new measures would put more pressure on employers "to look at the domestic workforce first". 'Misguided' approach to immigration Javid did not commit to an annual salary threshold for EU immigrants -- a highly contested proposal -- but said it could be "£30,000 (33,000 euros, $38,000) or thereabouts". He said the threshold could be lowered to encourage foreign students to stay and work in the UK and for certain parts of the economy in which a labour shortage could be proven. Many employers, including the National Health Service, have warned that £30,000 is too high and will severely limit their ability to hire EU nationals such as nurses. The immigration proposals are aimed at winning over Brexit hardliners who have resisted voting in favour of the deal that Prime Minister Theresa May has struck with EU leaders. But they will cause anger in parts of Britain, such as London, that have benefited from EU immigration. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the government's approach was "misguided" and "risks doing profound damage to growth, jobs and communities across London and the UK". Migration levels already falling May has vowed to end free movement of people from Europe, saying that this was one of the main reasons that Britons voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum. Immigration levels have already fallen since the referendum. Net migration to Britain was around 280,000 last year, a decrease from levels of more than 300,000 in 2014 and 2015. The announcement came as May prepared to hold her final question and answer session of the year in parliament, where she will face more trenchant criticism of her decision to delay a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal. The main opposition Labour Party has asked for a no confidence motion against May, while smaller groups including the Scottish National Party have requested a similar vote against the government as a whole. Neither motion is expected to be allowed to come to a vote. May survived a separate no-confidence vote tabled by members of her own Conservative Party last week but she came out of the process badly bruised after more than a third of her parliamentary party opted to oust her. Some hardline Conservative MPs have since said they could vote in favour of May's deal when it comes before parliament next month, although experts say the vote is still likely to go against the prime minister. Businesses 'watching in horror' The deadlock in Westminster has raised the prospects of either a second referendum or of a no-deal Brexit when the negotiating time runs out on March 29 next year. The government on Tuesday announced no-deal plans, which include drastic measures such as stockpiling imported chemicals to ensure safe drinking water and special flights from Europe to ensure continued supply of vital medicine. The prospect of such an exit has caused widespread concern. Britain's five leading business associations on Wednesday warned that companies have been "watching in horror as politicians have focused on factional disputes rather than practical steps that business needs to move forward". The group, which included the Confederation of British Industry big business lobby and the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "The lack of progress in Westminster means the risk of a no-deal Brexit is rising".

Brexit will bring down immigration but there is no 'specific target': British Home Secretary

The Modi government has so far succeeded in ensuring that India is least affected by challenges like immigration and working visas unveiled in the US under President Donald Trump, BJP leader Ram Madhav said Saturday, stressing that foreign policies cannot be guided by emotions or romanticism. 
 
Congress leader Anand Sharma said that foreign policy should uphold, secure and promote a country's national interest, but not be an extension of or reflect domestic narrative. 
 
They made these remarks during a discussion at the release of a book titled "Open Embrace: India-US Ties in the Age of Modi and Trump", by journalist Varghese K George. 
 
They were joined by academic C Rajamohan in the discussion moderated by journalist Suhasini Haider. 
 
"We are conscious of the challenges, whether it is his (Trump's) emphasis on domestic production, visa issues...We are negotiating, trying to ensure that India gets the best deal out of it. You cannot dictate Trump's policies. You can only try and ensure that India is least affected if there is anything adverse happening. We have more or less succeeded in ensuring that India is not affected," Madhav said. 
 
The BJP national general secretary said it could be easy to criticise the government but one must take note of the increment in trade and exports. 
"I am not saying that it has happened only in four years (of BJP), but we must acknowledge it," he said. 
 
Noting that the Indian diaspora played a role in the Indo-US nuclear agreement in 2005 during the Congress-led UPA regime, he said the current government had felt that it should leverage that not just in the US but other countries also. 
 
"We felt why not make it (diaspora) an important dimension in the foreign policy and with that objective in mind we started engaging with different diaspora in different countries," he said. 
 
On a continuum in the foreign policy, Sharma, who had served as a Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009 in the UPA government, said there cannot be abrupt changes in strategic engagements of a country as big as India. 
 
"But I would also like to say that the foreign policy of this country has evolved over a long period of time, not written in one day or one government. 
 
"Foreign policy is meant to uphold, secure and promote your supreme national interest. It is not de-linked to your national ambitions but you have to be careful not to allow the domestic narrative to reflect in the foreign policy," he said. 
 
"It cannot be personalised, it cannot be an extension of domestic politics particularly in our neighbourhood vis-a-vis Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. We have to be careful there. It is easy to say that we have moved or walked away from non-alignment movement...," Sharma said. 
 
BJP's Madhav said a lot of changes in the foreign policy were made by the Congress and held that the direction should be guided by national interest. 
"Congress has changed many things in our foreign policy. Who changed the foreign policy's focus from SAARC to BIMSTEC? Congress! Did we oppose it? We said no India needs BIMSTEC to engage with the extended neighbourhood because these are things that happen as per your requirement. 
 
"Foreign policy is not guided by emotions or romanticism, it is guided by national interest. Today your national interest demands, that you look for better platforms, look for reviving Commonwealth, which was also a Nehruvian-era creation, and we did it. 
 
"Where is the relevance of the NAM when there are no two poles in the world at all, it is a multi-polar world and who do we remain non-aligned with?" he asked. 
 
On the personal level relationship between PM Modi and President Trump, Madhav said, "The best relationship that we could have with the present leadership in the US we tried to establish it while maintaining strategic autonomy on many issues." 
 
On voting against the US on the Jerusalem issue in the UN, he said India is not influenced by any ideology except for the "nation-first" ideology and that is what happened. 
 
He said PM Modi is doing a stand-alone visit to Israel, then visiting Palestine also separately even as the country has the best of partners in the Middle East also. 
 
"We have strengthened the relationship with Israel but today our strongest relations are with the countries in the middle east, with the UAE, Saudi. We have a lasting strong legacy. We have strong ties with Iran also where we have not buckled under the pressure of any other power. 
 
"So, we are guided by the interest of our country. At that level it may be a continuum, but again it (BJP) is a new government, it has new ideas, it will implement them in a different way, that difference should be appreciated and the continuum should also be acknowledged," he said.&nbsp;

The Modi government has so far succeeded in ensuring that India is least affected by challenges like immigration and working visas unveiled in the US under President Donald Trump, BJP leader Ram Madhav said Saturday, stressing that foreign policies cannot be guided by emotions or romanticism.

The Modi government has so far succeeded in ensuring that India is least affected by challenges like immigration and working visas unveiled in the US under President Donald Trump, BJP leader Ram Madhav said Saturday, stressing that foreign policies cannot be guided by emotions or romanticism. Congress leader Anand Sharma said that foreign policy should uphold, secure and promote a country's national interest, but not be an extension of or reflect domestic narrative. They made these remarks during a discussion at the release of a book titled "Open Embrace: India-US Ties in the Age of Modi and Trump", by journalist Varghese K George. They were joined by academic C Rajamohan in the discussion moderated by journalist Suhasini Haider. "We are conscious of the challenges, whether it is his (Trump's) emphasis on domestic production, visa issues...We are negotiating, trying to ensure that India gets the best deal out of it. You cannot dictate Trump's policies. You can only try and ensure that India is least affected if there is anything adverse happening. We have more or less succeeded in ensuring that India is not affected," Madhav said. The BJP national general secretary said it could be easy to criticise the government but one must take note of the increment in trade and exports. "I am not saying that it has happened only in four years (of BJP), but we must acknowledge it," he said. Noting that the Indian diaspora played a role in the Indo-US nuclear agreement in 2005 during the Congress-led UPA regime, he said the current government had felt that it should leverage that not just in the US but other countries also. "We felt why not make it (diaspora) an important dimension in the foreign policy and with that objective in mind we started engaging with different diaspora in different countries," he said. On a continuum in the foreign policy, Sharma, who had served as a Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009 in the UPA government, said there cannot be abrupt changes in strategic engagements of a country as big as India. "But I would also like to say that the foreign policy of this country has evolved over a long period of time, not written in one day or one government. "Foreign policy is meant to uphold, secure and promote your supreme national interest. It is not de-linked to your national ambitions but you have to be careful not to allow the domestic narrative to reflect in the foreign policy," he said. "It cannot be personalised, it cannot be an extension of domestic politics particularly in our neighbourhood vis-a-vis Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. We have to be careful there. It is easy to say that we have moved or walked away from non-alignment movement...," Sharma said. BJP's Madhav said a lot of changes in the foreign policy were made by the Congress and held that the direction should be guided by national interest. "Congress has changed many things in our foreign policy. Who changed the foreign policy's focus from SAARC to BIMSTEC? Congress! Did we oppose it? We said no India needs BIMSTEC to engage with the extended neighbourhood because these are things that happen as per your requirement. "Foreign policy is not guided by emotions or romanticism, it is guided by national interest. Today your national interest demands, that you look for better platforms, look for reviving Commonwealth, which was also a Nehruvian-era creation, and we did it. "Where is the relevance of the NAM when there are no two poles in the world at all, it is a multi-polar world and who do we remain non-aligned with?" he asked. On the personal level relationship between PM Modi and President Trump, Madhav said, "The best relationship that we could have with the present leadership in the US we tried to establish it while maintaining strategic autonomy on many issues." On voting against the US on the Jerusalem issue in the UN, he said India is not influenced by any ideology except for the "nation-first" ideology and that is what happened. He said PM Modi is doing a stand-alone visit to Israel, then visiting Palestine also separately even as the country has the best of partners in the Middle East also. "We have strengthened the relationship with Israel but today our strongest relations are with the countries in the middle east, with the UAE, Saudi. We have a lasting strong legacy. We have strong ties with Iran also where we have not buckled under the pressure of any other power. "So, we are guided by the interest of our country. At that level it may be a continuum, but again it (BJP) is a new government, it has new ideas, it will implement them in a different way, that difference should be appreciated and the continuum should also be acknowledged," he said.

Government ensured India least affected by challenges like immigration, US working visa issue: Ram Madhav

A US appeals court in California ruled on Thursday that President Donald Trump's administration must continue a program begun under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who were brought into the country as children.

The decision by the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012 that has shielded from deportation a group of immigrants dubbed "Dreamers" and has given them work permits, though not a path to citizenship.&nbsp;

Trump has taken a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-moves-to-curb-migrants-asylum-claims-176298">stern stance against illegal immigration</a>. His administration announced plans in September 2017 to phase out DACA, arguing that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he bypassed Congress and created the program. DACA currently protects roughly 700,000 young adults, mostly Hispanics, with the number previously as high as about 800,000 people.

The three-judge panel unanimously upheld a federal judge`s January injunction maintaining the program, rejecting the administration`s claim that the decision to end DACA was not reviewable by the courts.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by the University of California, the states of California, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota and others challenging Trump`s move to end DACA.

The judges said the plaintiffs made a plausible case that the Republican president`s plan violates the US Constitution`s guarantee of equal protection under the law. The plaintiffs provided evidence of "discriminatory motivation, including the rescission order`s disparate impact on Latinos and persons of Mexican heritage," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw write in the opinion.&nbsp;

Wardlaw was appointed by Democratic former President Bill Clinton. The other two judges, John Owens and Jacqueline Nguyen, were appointed by Obama, a Democrat. Wardlaw and Nguyen also said the plaintiffs would likely win on their claim that rescinding DACA would violate federal administrative law.&nbsp;

The ruling represented another legal defeat for Trump concerning DACA, although he has won court victories on other parts of his tough immigration policies.

"Another federal court has said what we`ve always known: that Trump`s decision to kill DACA was wrong and that his sole motivation was to deport 800,000 people of color," said Sanaa Abrar of the group United We Dream, which advocates for DACA recipients.

On Monday, the administration took the unusual step of asking the US Supreme Court to review the case even though the appeals court had yet to rule.

Trump said on Wednesday he saw a potential to work with Democrats, who won control of the House of Representatives this week, but would have to see how the Supreme Court rules on the issue.

The ruling was the first by a federal appellate court to review the merits of the decision to rescind DACA.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-2000-migrants-drown-in-mediterranean-this-year-un-175892">More than 2,000 migrants drown in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-2000-migrants-drown-in-mediterranean-this-year-un-175892">Mediterranean</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-2000-migrants-drown-in-mediterranean-this-year-un-175892"> this year: UN</a>

"Far from over"

"In California and across our nation, Dreamers significantly enrich our communities as scholars, entrepreneurs, first responders and much more," said Xavier Becerra, California`s Democratic attorney general. "This fight, of course, is far from over. We will continue to defend Dreamers and DACA all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary."

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

San Francisco-based US District Judge William Alsup decided in January the government must continue processing renewals of existing DACA applications while litigation over the legality of Trump`s action is resolved. The administration in February unsuccessfully appealed Alsup`s ruling to the Supreme Court.

Trump`s move last year had called for DACA to begin winding down this past March. Trump`s action sparked an outcry from immigration advocates, business groups, colleges and some religious leaders. There are about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;

Lawsuits both challenging and supporting Trump`s decision to end DACA have been working their way through the courts, making it likely the issue will wind up in front of the Supreme Court.

The 9th Circuit ruling does not impact a nationwide injunction to preserve DACA issued by US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn in February, which also has been appealed.

A federal judge in Washington in August ordered the administration to fully restore DACA, including taking new applications. That decision was stayed pending appeal.

Legislation to extend protections for DACA recipients and provide them a path to citizenship failed in Congress this year.&nbsp;

A US appeals court in California ruled on Thursday that President Donald Trump's administration must continue a program begun under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who were brought into the country as children.

A US appeals court in California ruled on Thursday that President Donald Trump's administration must continue a program begun under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who were brought into the country as children. The decision by the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012 that has shielded from deportation a group of immigrants dubbed "Dreamers" and has given them work permits, though not a path to citizenship. Trump has taken a stern stance against illegal immigration. His administration announced plans in September 2017 to phase out DACA, arguing that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he bypassed Congress and created the program. DACA currently protects roughly 700,000 young adults, mostly Hispanics, with the number previously as high as about 800,000 people. The three-judge panel unanimously upheld a federal judge`s January injunction maintaining the program, rejecting the administration`s claim that the decision to end DACA was not reviewable by the courts. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by the University of California, the states of California, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota and others challenging Trump`s move to end DACA. The judges said the plaintiffs made a plausible case that the Republican president`s plan violates the US Constitution`s guarantee of equal protection under the law. The plaintiffs provided evidence of "discriminatory motivation, including the rescission order`s disparate impact on Latinos and persons of Mexican heritage," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw write in the opinion. Wardlaw was appointed by Democratic former President Bill Clinton. The other two judges, John Owens and Jacqueline Nguyen, were appointed by Obama, a Democrat. Wardlaw and Nguyen also said the plaintiffs would likely win on their claim that rescinding DACA would violate federal administrative law. The ruling represented another legal defeat for Trump concerning DACA, although he has won court victories on other parts of his tough immigration policies. "Another federal court has said what we`ve always known: that Trump`s decision to kill DACA was wrong and that his sole motivation was to deport 800,000 people of color," said Sanaa Abrar of the group United We Dream, which advocates for DACA recipients. On Monday, the administration took the unusual step of asking the US Supreme Court to review the case even though the appeals court had yet to rule. Trump said on Wednesday he saw a potential to work with Democrats, who won control of the House of Representatives this week, but would have to see how the Supreme Court rules on the issue. The ruling was the first by a federal appellate court to review the merits of the decision to rescind DACA. Also read: More than 2,000 migrants drown in Mediterranean this year: UN "Far from over" "In California and across our nation, Dreamers significantly enrich our communities as scholars, entrepreneurs, first responders and much more," said Xavier Becerra, California`s Democratic attorney general. "This fight, of course, is far from over. We will continue to defend Dreamers and DACA all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary." The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. San Francisco-based US District Judge William Alsup decided in January the government must continue processing renewals of existing DACA applications while litigation over the legality of Trump`s action is resolved. The administration in February unsuccessfully appealed Alsup`s ruling to the Supreme Court. Trump`s move last year had called for DACA to begin winding down this past March. Trump`s action sparked an outcry from immigration advocates, business groups, colleges and some religious leaders. There are about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. Lawsuits both challenging and supporting Trump`s decision to end DACA have been working their way through the courts, making it likely the issue will wind up in front of the Supreme Court. The 9th Circuit ruling does not impact a nationwide injunction to preserve DACA issued by US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn in February, which also has been appealed. A federal judge in Washington in August ordered the administration to fully restore DACA, including taking new applications. That decision was stayed pending appeal. Legislation to extend protections for DACA recipients and provide them a path to citizenship failed in Congress this year.

US appeals court rules against Trump on DACA immigration program

The Trump administration said on Thursday the protected immigration status the United States granted to some 9,000 Nepalese after a 2015 earthquake would end in June 2019, making them vulnerable to deportation.

The United States offered so-called temporary protected status for Nepalese after a large earthquake killed thousands and left hundreds of thousands homeless. In 2016, it was extended for 18 months, and it was set to expire on June 24.

The decision to terminate the status announced by the US&nbspDepartment of Homeland Security gives the immigrants a year to leave the country or change their immigration status. After June 24, 2019, they would face deportation.

The department said in a statement the decision was reached after a review of the disaster-related conditions that led to the status initially being granted.

"The disruption of living conditions in Nepal from the April 2015 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks that served as the basis for its TPS designation have decreased to a degree that they should no longer be regarded as substantial, and Nepal can now adequately manage the return of its nationals," it said.

In recent months, the Trump administration has decided to end temporary protected status for immigrants from several countries affected by disasters, including Nicaragua, Haiti and El Salvador, leaving hundreds of thousands of people who had permission to live and work in the United States vulnerable to deportation if they remain.

Critics of the TPS programme have complained that repeated extensions in six-month to 18-month increments of the status, sometimes for decades, has given beneficiaries de facto residency in the United States.

The administration faces a separate deadline on May 4 when it will have to decide the fate of some 57,000 Hondurans covered by TPS, the second-largest group in the programme after immigrants from El Salvador.

Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere and it has recently has been convulsed by protests following a contested presidential election.

So far most of the other countries that have come up for review have been terminated except for Syria, which is in the midst of a devastating war.

The United States offered so-called temporary protected status for Nepalese after a large earthquake killed thousands and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

The Trump administration said on Thursday the protected immigration status the United States granted to some 9,000 Nepalese after a 2015 earthquake would end in June 2019, making them vulnerable to deportation. The United States offered so-called temporary protected status for Nepalese after a large earthquake killed thousands and left hundreds of thousands homeless. In 2016, it was extended for 18 months, and it was set to expire on June 24. The decision to terminate the status announced by the US&nbspDepartment of Homeland Security gives the immigrants a year to leave the country or change their immigration status. After June 24, 2019, they would face deportation. The department said in a statement the decision was reached after a review of the disaster-related conditions that led to the status initially being granted. "The disruption of living conditions in Nepal from the April 2015 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks that served as the basis for its TPS designation have decreased to a degree that they should no longer be regarded as substantial, and Nepal can now adequately manage the return of its nationals," it said. In recent months, the Trump administration has decided to end temporary protected status for immigrants from several countries affected by disasters, including Nicaragua, Haiti and El Salvador, leaving hundreds of thousands of people who had permission to live and work in the United States vulnerable to deportation if they remain. Critics of the TPS programme have complained that repeated extensions in six-month to 18-month increments of the status, sometimes for decades, has given beneficiaries de facto residency in the United States. The administration faces a separate deadline on May 4 when it will have to decide the fate of some 57,000 Hondurans covered by TPS, the second-largest group in the programme after immigrants from El Salvador. Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere and it has recently has been convulsed by protests following a contested presidential election. So far most of the other countries that have come up for review have been terminated except for Syria, which is in the midst of a devastating war.

Protected immigration status for 9,000 Nepalese to end next year: US

By: Rakib Ehsan*

A recent survey looking into attitudes towards immigrants of different origins has thrown up some interesting figures.

YouGov asked 1,668 UK adults whether immigrants from various parts of the world had made a positive or negative contribution to British life.

While immigrants from India received a healthy positive figure of +25, their South Asian counterparts are in negative territory. Bangladeshis have a net figure of -3. Pakistanis fare even worse at -4. Net figures are calculated by taking away the figure for "negative contribution" from the figure for "positive contribution".

There are a range of factors that might account for these differences - some historical, some economic and some social and religious.

Migratory story

The initial flow of steady Indian migration started in the 1950s. As well as a notable number of politically disaffected Punjabi Sikhs, this flow included a stream of highly educated Gujarati migrants. Many ended up working as medical professionals in the NHS.

In the 1970s, a number of migrants of Indian origin sought refuge in the UK following their expulsion from Uganda. The stream of Indian migration from East Africa also included people fleeing state discrimination in Kenya.

The vast proportion of these migrants were well-educated and entrepreneurial. Indeed, following their expulsion, the backbone of the Ugandan economy crumbled under Idi Amin’s dictatorship. Ugandan Indians are collectively a British success story.

Many of the initial Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants, on the other hand, originated from deprived regions such as Azad Kashmir, where the rate of Pakistani migration increased following the construction of the Mangla Dam in the 1960s, a project that left more than 250 villages submerged. Many others are from Sylhet and migrated following the damage caused by the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

Settlers from Pakistan and Bangladesh often filled manual jobs, particularly those in steel mills and the textiles industry. Due to poor English skills, many were unable to progress in terms of employment or to interact with the wider population. This continues to be a problem within Britain’s Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, particularly among women.

Socio-economic status

Then there are differences in economic performance. According to 2010 data, Indians in the UK are far more likely to work in higher-skilled professional jobs than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. A recent population survey found that 59% of UK women in a combined Bangladeshi-Pakistani category were economically inactive. The corresponding figure for Indian-origin women was only 32%.

British Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have historically ranked highly when measuring average fertility rates by ethnicity in the UK. The fertility rate for British Indians is noticeably lower in comparison.

What this data collectively suggest is that due to superior occupational status, a higher proportion of two-income households and substantially lower fertility rates, British Indian households are far less likely to be dependent on welfare. Therefore perceptions regarding welfare dependency may have fed into the YouGov figures.

Social integration

The YouGov figures could also be influenced by differences in social contact. There is the possibility that a high number of the respondents simply don’t have much experience of communicating with people of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin.

The 2010 data shows that Bangladeshis and Pakistanis living in the UK have far higher levels of residential and social segregation than Indians. They are more likely to be part of social and economic networks which are predominantly made out of people from their own ethnic group. This is partly down to being occupationally segregated in the transport and hospitality sectors.

British Indians have higher levels of “social mixing” through friends, neighbours and work colleagues. This creates greater opportunities for positive contact across ethnic groups. “Outgroupers” may be less likely to experience positive contact with British Bangladeshis and Pakistanis due to the comparatively higher levels of social, economic and residential segregation within these groups.

Religious effect

The religious composition of the ethnic groups cannot be ignored either. A substantial proportion of UK Indians are either Hindu or Sikh. Britain’s Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are nearly all Sunni Muslim. And the 2010 data shows that UK Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are more likely to identify more with their faith (when traded-off against British identification).

Perceptions of homegrown terrorism and Islamic radicalisation could also have played a part in the negative net figures for the Bangladeshi and Pakistani groups. The ethnic background of perpetrators involved in domestic terrorist activities and UK citizens who have joined Daesh “as jihadis” or “jihadi brides” may be implicated in negative group perceptions, even if these people make up a tiny proportion of the population. Major cases of child sexual exploitation in places such as Rochdale and Rotherham are unlikely to have helped.

Looking to the future

The YouGov figures suggest that economic performance, social relations and religio-cultural values can all influence perceptions on immigration.

The negative actions of a minority can certainly lead to unfair generalisations. But considering the group trends in socioeconomic status and sociocultural integration, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Bangladeshi and Pakistani immigrants are viewed more negatively than those of Indian origin. The question remains what to do about it.

The state does have a role to play in improving social and economic outcomes. But frank discussions need to be held within certain groups over socioeconomic progress and sociocultural modernisation. And their place in Britain’s liberal democracy.

*Rakib Ehsan is Doctoral Researcher in Political Science at Royal Holloway

(This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/poll-finds-more-favourable-attitudes-towards-indian-immigrants-than-pakistanis-and-bangladeshis-why-96040">original article</a>.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

A recent survey looking into attitudes towards immigrants of different origins asked 1,668 UK adults whether immigrants had made a positive or negative contribution to British life

By: Rakib Ehsan* A recent survey looking into attitudes towards immigrants of different origins has thrown up some interesting figures. YouGov asked 1,668 UK adults whether immigrants from various parts of the world had made a positive or negative contribution to British life. While immigrants from India received a healthy positive figure of +25, their South Asian counterparts are in negative territory. Bangladeshis have a net figure of -3. Pakistanis fare even worse at -4. Net figures are calculated by taking away the figure for "negative contribution" from the figure for "positive contribution". There are a range of factors that might account for these differences - some historical, some economic and some social and religious. Migratory story The initial flow of steady Indian migration started in the 1950s. As well as a notable number of politically disaffected Punjabi Sikhs, this flow included a stream of highly educated Gujarati migrants. Many ended up working as medical professionals in the NHS. In the 1970s, a number of migrants of Indian origin sought refuge in the UK following their expulsion from Uganda. The stream of Indian migration from East Africa also included people fleeing state discrimination in Kenya. The vast proportion of these migrants were well-educated and entrepreneurial. Indeed, following their expulsion, the backbone of the Ugandan economy crumbled under Idi Amin’s dictatorship. Ugandan Indians are collectively a British success story. Many of the initial Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants, on the other hand, originated from deprived regions such as Azad Kashmir, where the rate of Pakistani migration increased following the construction of the Mangla Dam in the 1960s, a project that left more than 250 villages submerged. Many others are from Sylhet and migrated following the damage caused by the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. Settlers from Pakistan and Bangladesh often filled manual jobs, particularly those in steel mills and the textiles industry. Due to poor English skills, many were unable to progress in terms of employment or to interact with the wider population. This continues to be a problem within Britain’s Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, particularly among women. Socio-economic status Then there are differences in economic performance. According to 2010 data, Indians in the UK are far more likely to work in higher-skilled professional jobs than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. A recent population survey found that 59% of UK women in a combined Bangladeshi-Pakistani category were economically inactive. The corresponding figure for Indian-origin women was only 32%. British Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have historically ranked highly when measuring average fertility rates by ethnicity in the UK. The fertility rate for British Indians is noticeably lower in comparison. What this data collectively suggest is that due to superior occupational status, a higher proportion of two-income households and substantially lower fertility rates, British Indian households are far less likely to be dependent on welfare. Therefore perceptions regarding welfare dependency may have fed into the YouGov figures. Social integration The YouGov figures could also be influenced by differences in social contact. There is the possibility that a high number of the respondents simply don’t have much experience of communicating with people of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin. The 2010 data shows that Bangladeshis and Pakistanis living in the UK have far higher levels of residential and social segregation than Indians. They are more likely to be part of social and economic networks which are predominantly made out of people from their own ethnic group. This is partly down to being occupationally segregated in the transport and hospitality sectors. British Indians have higher levels of “social mixing” through friends, neighbours and work colleagues. This creates greater opportunities for positive contact across ethnic groups. “Outgroupers” may be less likely to experience positive contact with British Bangladeshis and Pakistanis due to the comparatively higher levels of social, economic and residential segregation within these groups. Religious effect The religious composition of the ethnic groups cannot be ignored either. A substantial proportion of UK Indians are either Hindu or Sikh. Britain’s Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are nearly all Sunni Muslim. And the 2010 data shows that UK Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are more likely to identify more with their faith (when traded-off against British identification). Perceptions of homegrown terrorism and Islamic radicalisation could also have played a part in the negative net figures for the Bangladeshi and Pakistani groups. The ethnic background of perpetrators involved in domestic terrorist activities and UK citizens who have joined Daesh “as jihadis” or “jihadi brides” may be implicated in negative group perceptions, even if these people make up a tiny proportion of the population. Major cases of child sexual exploitation in places such as Rochdale and Rotherham are unlikely to have helped. Looking to the future The YouGov figures suggest that economic performance, social relations and religio-cultural values can all influence perceptions on immigration. The negative actions of a minority can certainly lead to unfair generalisations. But considering the group trends in socioeconomic status and sociocultural integration, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Bangladeshi and Pakistani immigrants are viewed more negatively than those of Indian origin. The question remains what to do about it. The state does have a role to play in improving social and economic outcomes. But frank discussions need to be held within certain groups over socioeconomic progress and sociocultural modernisation. And their place in Britain’s liberal democracy. *Rakib Ehsan is Doctoral Researcher in Political Science at Royal Holloway (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Britishers have favourable attitude towards Indian immigrants

Bollywood singer Adnan Sami faced a rather strange welcome in Kuwait where the immigration staff at the airport were allegedly caught misbehaving, calling him and his staff "Indian dogs."

Sami took to twitter and said "“We came 2 ur city wt luv & our Indian brethren embraced us with it. U gave no support. Kuwaiti airport immigration mistreated my staff 4 no reason & called thm ‘Indian Dogs’! Wn u wr contacted u did nothing!! How dare d Kuwaitis behave like this with arrogance?!” hr wrote to Indian Embassy in Kuwait as well as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.&nbsp

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/indembkwt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@indembkwt</a> We came 2 ur city wt luv & our Indian brethren embraced us with it. U gave no support. Kuwaiti airport immigration mistreated my staff 4 no reason & called thm ‘Indian Dogs’! Wn u wr contacted u did nothing!! How dare d Kuwaitis behave like this with arrogance?! <a href="https://t.co/9OPfuPiTW1">pic.twitter.com/9OPfuPiTW1</a>
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdnanSamiLive/status/993147114426380288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Soon after the Foreign Minister came to the rescue and asked him to call her. MoS Home Kiren Rijiju wrote: “Sorry to learn that @AdnanSamiLive. Our most dynamic EAM @SushmaSwaraj ji has acknowledged your matter. Pls speak to her now.”

Sami replied Adnan Sami also thanked Kiren Rijiju: “Thank you so much for your concern my dear. @SushmaSwaraj is a lady full of heart & she is in touch with me & is looking after our people.. I’m so proud that she is our foreign minister & looks after us all over the world.”

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Thank you so much for your concern my dear. <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> is a lady full of heart & she is in touch with me & is looking after our people.. I’m so proud that she is our foreign minister & looks after us all over the world. <a href="https://t.co/2KjCIyRG6f">https://t.co/2KjCIyRG6f</a>
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdnanSamiLive/status/993186164180963328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The singer had previously expressed his excitement to perform for the first time there. Sami was in Kuwait for his first ever live performance organised by Indian Cultural Society at American International School, Maidan Hawalli.&nbsp

The singer had previously expressed his excitement to perform for the first time there. Sami was in Kuwait for his first ever live performance organised by Indian Cultural Society at American International School, Maidan Hawalli

Bollywood singer Adnan Sami faced a rather strange welcome in Kuwait where the immigration staff at the airport were allegedly caught misbehaving, calling him and his staff "Indian dogs." Sami took to twitter and said "“We came 2 ur city wt luv & our Indian brethren embraced us with it. U gave no support. Kuwaiti airport immigration mistreated my staff 4 no reason & called thm ‘Indian Dogs’! Wn u wr contacted u did nothing!! How dare d Kuwaitis behave like this with arrogance?!” hr wrote to Indian Embassy in Kuwait as well as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. @indembkwt We came 2 ur city wt luv & our Indian brethren embraced us with it. U gave no support. Kuwaiti airport immigration mistreated my staff 4 no reason & called thm ‘Indian Dogs’! Wn u wr contacted u did nothing!! How dare d Kuwaitis behave like this with arrogance?! pic.twitter.com/9OPfuPiTW1 — Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) May 6, 2018 × Soon after the Foreign Minister came to the rescue and asked him to call her. MoS Home Kiren Rijiju wrote: “Sorry to learn that @AdnanSamiLive. Our most dynamic EAM @SushmaSwaraj ji has acknowledged your matter. Pls speak to her now.” Sami replied Adnan Sami also thanked Kiren Rijiju: “Thank you so much for your concern my dear. @SushmaSwaraj is a lady full of heart & she is in touch with me & is looking after our people.. I’m so proud that she is our foreign minister & looks after us all over the world.” Thank you so much for your concern my dear. @SushmaSwaraj is a lady full of heart & she is in touch with me & is looking after our people.. I’m so proud that she is our foreign minister & looks after us all over the world. https://t.co/2KjCIyRG6f — Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) May 6, 2018 × The singer had previously expressed his excitement to perform for the first time there. Sami was in Kuwait for his first ever live performance organised by Indian Cultural Society at American International School, Maidan Hawalli.

Bollywood singer Adnan Sami, staff harassed at Kuwait airport, called 'Indian dogs'

Britain's new interior minister Sajid Javid on Monday attempted to distance himself from the "hostile environment" approach to a crackdown on illegal immigration which was favoured by Prime Minister Theresa May during her time in the job.

Javid told parliament he was working to resolve the situation of the so-called "Windrush" migrants after a scandal that forced her predecessor Amber Rudd to resign because she misled parliament over the government's immigration policy.

The government has been struggling to explain why some descendants of the "Windrush generation", invited to Britain to plug labour shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, have been denied basic rights and have been incorrectly labelled as illegal immigrants.

Tighter border policies are in part a legacy of May's time as interior minister - a role she held for six years before becoming prime minister in 2016.

May in 2012 said she wanted to create a "really hostile environment for illegal immigrants" and rules were tightened that ended up affecting people they hadn't been designed to target.

"I don't like the phrase hostile," Javid said. "So the terminology is incorrect and I think it is a phrase that is unhelpful and it doesn't represent our values as country to use that phrase. It is about a compliant environment and it is right that we have a compliant environment."

The government has apologised to Windrush migrants and their families, promised citizenship and compensation to those affected, including to people who have lost their jobs and been threatened with deportation because of the errors.

Javid said the interior ministry is investigating about 2,500 cases and has resolved about 100 cases.

"This should never have been the case and I will do whatever it takes to put it right," he said.

Javid said the interior ministry is investigating about 2,500 cases and has resolved about 100 cases

Britain's new interior minister Sajid Javid on Monday attempted to distance himself from the "hostile environment" approach to a crackdown on illegal immigration which was favoured by Prime Minister Theresa May during her time in the job. Javid told parliament he was working to resolve the situation of the so-called "Windrush" migrants after a scandal that forced her predecessor Amber Rudd to resign because she misled parliament over the government's immigration policy. The government has been struggling to explain why some descendants of the "Windrush generation", invited to Britain to plug labour shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, have been denied basic rights and have been incorrectly labelled as illegal immigrants. Tighter border policies are in part a legacy of May's time as interior minister - a role she held for six years before becoming prime minister in 2016. May in 2012 said she wanted to create a "really hostile environment for illegal immigrants" and rules were tightened that ended up affecting people they hadn't been designed to target. "I don't like the phrase hostile," Javid said. "So the terminology is incorrect and I think it is a phrase that is unhelpful and it doesn't represent our values as country to use that phrase. It is about a compliant environment and it is right that we have a compliant environment." The government has apologised to Windrush migrants and their families, promised citizenship and compensation to those affected, including to people who have lost their jobs and been threatened with deportation because of the errors. Javid said the interior ministry is investigating about 2,500 cases and has resolved about 100 cases. "This should never have been the case and I will do whatever it takes to put it right," he said.

UK's Pak origin Home Secy Sajid Javid not for 'hostile' approach on immigration

The US government is actively planning to terminate provision allowing spouses of H1-B visa holders to take up jobs in the country, newswire PTI quoted Trump administration officials as saying.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) chief Francis Cissna in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley has reportedly said the US government plans to end the H-4 visa provision which is handed out to the spouse of an H-1B visa holder&nbsp;by this summer.

"Our plans include proposing regulatory changes to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation, thereby reversing the 2015 final rule that granted such eligibility," Cissna said in the letter to Senator Chuck Grassley.

According to a study, over 93 per cent of H-4 visa holders were Indians and a staggering 94 per cent were women.

The Obama administration in 2015 had allowed work permits for spouses under the H-4 visa rule who were seeking permanent residency in the US, the Trump government is planning to overturn it and issue new guidelines.&nbsp;

"Our plans include proposing regulatory changes to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation, thereby reversing the 2015 final rule that granted such eligibility," Cissna said.

The Obama administration in 2015 had allowed work permits for spouses under the H-4 visa rule

The US government is actively planning to terminate provision allowing spouses of H1-B visa holders to take up jobs in the country, newswire PTI quoted Trump administration officials as saying. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) chief Francis Cissna in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley has reportedly said the US government plans to end the H-4 visa provision which is handed out to the spouse of an H-1B visa holder by this summer. "Our plans include proposing regulatory changes to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation, thereby reversing the 2015 final rule that granted such eligibility," Cissna said in the letter to Senator Chuck Grassley. According to a study, over 93 per cent of H-4 visa holders were Indians and a staggering 94 per cent were women. The Obama administration in 2015 had allowed work permits for spouses under the H-4 visa rule who were seeking permanent residency in the US, the Trump government is planning to overturn it and issue new guidelines. "Our plans include proposing regulatory changes to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation, thereby reversing the 2015 final rule that granted such eligibility," Cissna said.

Summer deadline: US government plans to stop work visa for spouses of H-1B visa holders

France's lower house approved by a large majority on Sunday (April 22) a bill that would tighten asylum rules after tense debates that created the first cracks within President Emmanuel Macron's party.

One member of Macron's party, Jean-Michel Clement, voted against the bill and said he would leave the majority.

The French National Assembly voted in favour of the legislation by 228-139, with 24 abstaining. Debates are due to follow in the upper house, the Senate, in June. The National Assembly will have the last word on the bill.

A dozen lawmakers in the more than 300-seat majority have voiced concerns over the bill in recent days, not enough to defeat the government but the most serious sign of unease to date for Macron's two-year-old political movement.

One member of Macron's party, Jean-Michel Clement, voted against the bill and said he would leave the majority

France's lower house approved by a large majority on Sunday (April 22) a bill that would tighten asylum rules after tense debates that created the first cracks within President Emmanuel Macron's party. One member of Macron's party, Jean-Michel Clement, voted against the bill and said he would leave the majority. The French National Assembly voted in favour of the legislation by 228-139, with 24 abstaining. Debates are due to follow in the upper house, the Senate, in June. The National Assembly will have the last word on the bill. A dozen lawmakers in the more than 300-seat majority have voiced concerns over the bill in recent days, not enough to defeat the government but the most serious sign of unease to date for Macron's two-year-old political movement.

French lower house adopts asylum bill

Hungarians are set to reelect Viktor Orban, a hard-liner on immigration, for a third straight term in a Sunday election that could help solidify anti-migrant positions in Central European governments.

After an acrimonious campaign in which Orban has projected himself as a saviour of Hungary's Christian culture against Muslim migration into Europe, all opinion polls put his Fidesz party well ahead.

A strong victory could embolden him to put more muscle into a Central European alliance against the European Union's migration policies. Orban, Hungary's longest-serving post-communist premier, strongly opposes deeper integration of the bloc.

A landslide win would make Orban feel vindicated in his decision to run a single-issue campaign, arguing that migration posed a big security threat. Orban's critics said his stance has fuelled xenophobia in Hungary.

A strong win for Orban would also boost other right-wing nationalists in Central Europe, in Poland, and in neighbouring Austria, and expose cracks in the 28-nation EU.

The EU has struggled to respond as Orban's government has used its two landslide victories in 2010 and 2014 to erode democratic checks and balances, by curbing the powers of the constitutional court, controlling the media, and appointing loyalists to key positions.

Orban has far-right admirers across Europe who like his tough line on migrants. He is also credited with keeping the budget deficit under control, reducing unemployment and some of Hungary's debt, and putting its economy on a growth track.

On Friday, at his closing campaign rally, Orban vowed to protect his nation from Muslim migrants.

"Migration is like rust that slowly but surely would consume Hungary," he said.

The fierce anti-immigrant campaign has gone down well with around two million core voters of Fidesz.

"Migrants should not come here, and this (Fidesz') economic policy should continue," said Janos Dimovics, a pensioner who came from his village to see Orban. He had always voted for Fidesz and praised Orban's policy to support families.

In March the government also gave pre-election handouts to millions of families and pensioners.

Odd chance of surprise

According to a poll by Zavech research institute published on Friday, Fidesz had 46 percent support among decided voters, while former far-right Jobbik, which has reshaped its image into a more moderate force, had 19 percent. The Socialists came in third with 14 percent. Voter turnout was estimated between 64 and 68 percent.

However, the polls could be unreliable as one-third of voters are undecided and many hide their voting preference.

There is also a slight chance that the fragmented opposition could strip Fidesz of its parliament majority if voters frustrated with Orban's policies choose tactical voting in the 106 constituencies.

In 2014, Fidesz won a two-thirds majority in the 199-seat parliament with 133 seats. That looks less likely now.

If Orban wins he is expected to carry on with his current economic policies -- with income tax cuts and incentives to boost growth.

His business allies are also expected to expand their economic domains. Businessmen close to Fidesz have acquired stakes in major industries like banking, energy, construction, and tourism, profiting from EU funds.

"Only a dramatic outcome of the election would force a significant shift in the direction of policymaking," Barclays said in a note.

It said pragmatism was likely to prevail given the importance of EU structural funds for Hungary which would probably avoid an all-out conflict with the EU. 
&nbsp;

Viktor Orban is a hard-liner on immigration and would be selected for a third straight term in a Sunday election

Hungarians are set to reelect Viktor Orban, a hard-liner on immigration, for a third straight term in a Sunday election that could help solidify anti-migrant positions in Central European governments. After an acrimonious campaign in which Orban has projected himself as a saviour of Hungary's Christian culture against Muslim migration into Europe, all opinion polls put his Fidesz party well ahead. A strong victory could embolden him to put more muscle into a Central European alliance against the European Union's migration policies. Orban, Hungary's longest-serving post-communist premier, strongly opposes deeper integration of the bloc. A landslide win would make Orban feel vindicated in his decision to run a single-issue campaign, arguing that migration posed a big security threat. Orban's critics said his stance has fuelled xenophobia in Hungary. A strong win for Orban would also boost other right-wing nationalists in Central Europe, in Poland, and in neighbouring Austria, and expose cracks in the 28-nation EU. The EU has struggled to respond as Orban's government has used its two landslide victories in 2010 and 2014 to erode democratic checks and balances, by curbing the powers of the constitutional court, controlling the media, and appointing loyalists to key positions. Orban has far-right admirers across Europe who like his tough line on migrants. He is also credited with keeping the budget deficit under control, reducing unemployment and some of Hungary's debt, and putting its economy on a growth track. On Friday, at his closing campaign rally, Orban vowed to protect his nation from Muslim migrants. "Migration is like rust that slowly but surely would consume Hungary," he said. The fierce anti-immigrant campaign has gone down well with around two million core voters of Fidesz. "Migrants should not come here, and this (Fidesz') economic policy should continue," said Janos Dimovics, a pensioner who came from his village to see Orban. He had always voted for Fidesz and praised Orban's policy to support families. In March the government also gave pre-election handouts to millions of families and pensioners. Odd chance of surprise According to a poll by Zavech research institute published on Friday, Fidesz had 46 percent support among decided voters, while former far-right Jobbik, which has reshaped its image into a more moderate force, had 19 percent. The Socialists came in third with 14 percent. Voter turnout was estimated between 64 and 68 percent. However, the polls could be unreliable as one-third of voters are undecided and many hide their voting preference. There is also a slight chance that the fragmented opposition could strip Fidesz of its parliament majority if voters frustrated with Orban's policies choose tactical voting in the 106 constituencies. In 2014, Fidesz won a two-thirds majority in the 199-seat parliament with 133 seats. That looks less likely now. If Orban wins he is expected to carry on with his current economic policies -- with income tax cuts and incentives to boost growth. His business allies are also expected to expand their economic domains. Businessmen close to Fidesz have acquired stakes in major industries like banking, energy, construction, and tourism, profiting from EU funds. "Only a dramatic outcome of the election would force a significant shift in the direction of policymaking," Barclays said in a note. It said pragmatism was likely to prevail given the importance of EU structural funds for Hungary which would probably avoid an all-out conflict with the EU.

Hungary expected to give nationalist Prime Minister Orban third term

The process of filing petitions for H-1B visa has begun amidst unprecedented scrutiny by the United States President Donald Trump`s administration.&nbsp;

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is the federal agency responsible to process the visas, has indicated that there will be zero tolerance for even minor errors.&nbsp;

H-1B is considered as the most sought-after work visa among highly-skilled Indian professionals. It is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.&nbsp;

Earlier in March, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services had announced that it will temporarily be suspended the premium processing for the H-1B visa.&nbsp;

"The USCIS will begin accepting applications for the fiscal year 2019 (October 2018 to September 2019) from April 2. The suspension will last until September 10," the body had said.&nbsp;

"This temporary suspension will help us reduce overall H-1B processing times. By temporarily suspending premium processing, we will be able to process long-pending petitions, which we have currently been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and the significant surge in premium processing requests over the past few years," the USCIS added.&nbsp;

The Donald Trump administration recently announced a new measure, making the approval of H-1B visa more tougher.&nbsp;

As per the new policy, any company will have to make one more clarification to prove that its H-1B employee at a third-party worksite has specific and non-qualifying speculative assignments in a speciality occupation.&nbsp;

The updated policy is a part of Trump's "Buy American and Hire American" Executive Order, which directs to protect the interests of US workers.&nbsp;

According to the US administration officials, the scrutiny is needed to ensure the integrity of the controversial visa programme, which according to critics has cost American jobs.

The USCIS will begin accepting applications for the fiscal year 2019 (October 2018 to September 2019) from April 2

The process of filing petitions for H-1B visa has begun amidst unprecedented scrutiny by the United States President Donald Trump`s administration. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is the federal agency responsible to process the visas, has indicated that there will be zero tolerance for even minor errors. H-1B is considered as the most sought-after work visa among highly-skilled Indian professionals. It is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Earlier in March, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services had announced that it will temporarily be suspended the premium processing for the H-1B visa. "The USCIS will begin accepting applications for the fiscal year 2019 (October 2018 to September 2019) from April 2. The suspension will last until September 10," the body had said. "This temporary suspension will help us reduce overall H-1B processing times. By temporarily suspending premium processing, we will be able to process long-pending petitions, which we have currently been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and the significant surge in premium processing requests over the past few years," the USCIS added. The Donald Trump administration recently announced a new measure, making the approval of H-1B visa more tougher. As per the new policy, any company will have to make one more clarification to prove that its H-1B employee at a third-party worksite has specific and non-qualifying speculative assignments in a speciality occupation. The updated policy is a part of Trump's "Buy American and Hire American" Executive Order, which directs to protect the interests of US workers. According to the US administration officials, the scrutiny is needed to ensure the integrity of the controversial visa programme, which according to critics has cost American jobs.

'Tough' H-1B visa application process begins

Multiple H-1B applications will lead to rejection of the petitions, a federal American agency has warned foreign workers, days ahead of the initiation of filing process for the non-immigrant visa, popular among Indian techies.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated that it would intensify scrutiny of such applications. 
The H-1B filing process begins from April 2 for the fiscal year 2019 starting October 1.

"After notice, we will deny or revoke the approval of all H-1B cap-subject petitions filed for one beneficiary by 'related entities' unless there is a legitimate business need," USCIS said.

H-1B petitioners who submit multiple cap-subject petitions on behalf of the same beneficiary undermine the integrity of the lottery process, it added.

The federal agency issued policy guidance related to H-1B petitions, clarifying how the term "related entities" applied to the bar on multiple H-1B filings.

"Related entities" include petitioners, whether or not related through corporate ownership and control, that file cap-subject H-1B petitions for the same beneficiary for substantially the same job, it said.

"Absent a legitimate business need to file multiple cap-subject petitions for the same beneficiary," USCIS said, adding that it will deny or revoke the approval of all H-1B cap-subject petitions filed by related entities for that beneficiary.

Noting that a single employer "may not file more than one cap-subject petition for the same beneficiary even if there is a legitimate business need", it asserted that H-1B programme did not permit speculative employment.

It, however, recognised that occasionally an employer may extend the same beneficiary two or more job offers for distinct positions and therefore may have a legitimate business need to file two or more separate H-1B petitions on behalf of the same alien.

The rule, however, precluded that practice if the beneficiary is subject to the cap.

USCIS recognised that allowing multiple filings by one employer on behalf of the same beneficiary could create a loophole for employers who seek to exploit the random selection process to the competitive disadvantage of other petitioners.

Such employers could file multiple petitions on behalf of the same alien under the guise that the petitions are based on different job offers when the employment positions are in fact the same or only very slightly different.

Instead, USCIS explained that a petitioner could file one initial petition, and then if accepted under the cap, file an amended or new petition for concurrent employment.

The H-1B programme offers temporary US visas that allow companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals working in areas with shortages of qualified American workers.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated that it would intensify scrutiny of such applications

Multiple H-1B applications will lead to rejection of the petitions, a federal American agency has warned foreign workers, days ahead of the initiation of filing process for the non-immigrant visa, popular among Indian techies. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated that it would intensify scrutiny of such applications. The H-1B filing process begins from April 2 for the fiscal year 2019 starting October 1. "After notice, we will deny or revoke the approval of all H-1B cap-subject petitions filed for one beneficiary by 'related entities' unless there is a legitimate business need," USCIS said. H-1B petitioners who submit multiple cap-subject petitions on behalf of the same beneficiary undermine the integrity of the lottery process, it added. The federal agency issued policy guidance related to H-1B petitions, clarifying how the term "related entities" applied to the bar on multiple H-1B filings. "Related entities" include petitioners, whether or not related through corporate ownership and control, that file cap-subject H-1B petitions for the same beneficiary for substantially the same job, it said. "Absent a legitimate business need to file multiple cap-subject petitions for the same beneficiary," USCIS said, adding that it will deny or revoke the approval of all H-1B cap-subject petitions filed by related entities for that beneficiary. Noting that a single employer "may not file more than one cap-subject petition for the same beneficiary even if there is a legitimate business need", it asserted that H-1B programme did not permit speculative employment. It, however, recognised that occasionally an employer may extend the same beneficiary two or more job offers for distinct positions and therefore may have a legitimate business need to file two or more separate H-1B petitions on behalf of the same alien. The rule, however, precluded that practice if the beneficiary is subject to the cap. USCIS recognised that allowing multiple filings by one employer on behalf of the same beneficiary could create a loophole for employers who seek to exploit the random selection process to the competitive disadvantage of other petitioners. Such employers could file multiple petitions on behalf of the same alien under the guise that the petitions are based on different job offers when the employment positions are in fact the same or only very slightly different. Instead, USCIS explained that a petitioner could file one initial petition, and then if accepted under the cap, file an amended or new petition for concurrent employment. The H-1B programme offers temporary US visas that allow companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals working in areas with shortages of qualified American workers.

Another roadblock to H-1B visa: US to reject multiple applications

Anti-H1B posters have come up in local metro stations and commuter trains in San Francisco and California, ahead of the work visa, which is popular among Indian IT professionals, filing season beginning in April.

The Progressives for Immigration Reform which has bought advertisements worth $80,000 for the San Francisco&#39;s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations and trains, argues that their purpose is to create awareness about the misuse and abuse of the H-1B visa.

&quot;This is to get exposure to the H-1B programme. And with that attention, with that visibility, begin conversations on the abuses of the programmes what it was intended to be and what it has become,&quot; Kevin Lynn, director of the Washington Dc-based Progressive for Information Reform told.

The campaign started on March 15, and would last till April 1, he said, adding that he has been receiving &quot;amazingly positive&quot; response from the users of BART.

&quot;Your companies think you are expensive, undeserving &amp; expendable,&quot; the advertisement said.

&quot;Congress, fix H-1B law so companies must seek &amp; hire US workers!&quot; it said.

These advertisements have been placed primarily at San Francisco&#39;s Civic Center Station and Oakland&#39;s 19th Street Stations with smaller numbers in other stations and in trains, BART said.

Lynn insisted that this is not about against H-1B visa, but to create awareness about the abuses of the programme and then fix those.

&quot;The responses receiving are amazingly positive,&quot; he said, adding that there was some negative responses, wherein people mistakenly thought that this was anti-immigrant.

&quot;That all pretty much ended by Friday as news started to come out and people began to realise that this is a programme that is bringing attention to the abuses of the programme,&quot; he said.

&quot;In fact, I would say the positive responses are half and half between people who are who are foreign and people who are US citizens. Because there are two groups being abused here and exploited. One are foreign nationals who are working for companies that they have no protection, no labour laws in America are protecting the H1B worker. If company decides to fire them, they go back to whatever country they came from,&quot; Lynn said.

&quot;At the same time, companies are using H-1B workers to displace or not even think of seeking to hire an American worker who&#39;s qualified to do the job,&quot; he asserted.

He said the solution is that, a company should be made to seek and hire American workers first.

&quot;Two, when we work through a programme like this, should not be for people with ordinary skills, but only the exceptionally talented. That was the intention in 1990s. It was called the genius visa,&quot; Lynn said.

Most of the H-1B visa holders hold a bachelor&#39;s degree from a foreign university and 26 per cent of those have only an associate&#39;s degree, he said.

&quot;So, we&#39;re not seeing the very talented people coming to the country, but we&#39;re seeing people brought over to displace American workers,&quot; he alleged.

The intention of the programme initially was to bring the best and the brightest, he said.

Lynn said this publicity is &quot;already expanding&quot; into other cities.

The nature of campaign differs from city to city.

&quot;There are reasons that a campaign like this will work well in San Francisco and maybe not well in Boston. We would use other (campaign). The purpose of this campaign is to bring attention and then to organise tech workers to create a movement that will generate a political solution to this,&quot; Lynn said.

However, despite Lynn&#39;s insistence that this is not an anti-H-1B campaign, Indian-American groups have slammed Progressives for Immigration Reform and described these posters on BART stations in San Francisco as deeply problematic.

&quot;The anti-H-1B ads currently running on BART trains throughout the San Francisco Bay Area are deeply problematic and oversimplify the H-1B issue,&quot; Samir Kalra, San Francisco Bay Area based managing director of the Hindu American Foundation said.

&quot;While there have certainly been instances of abuse of the H-1B visa programme by large staffing companies that should be addressed, H-1B workers and immigrants have been a great benefit to our country. They&#39;ve helped spur innovation and have made tremendous contributions to our economy and broader society,&quot; he said.

&quot;More importantly, these ads further contribute to the growing anti-immigrant sentiment and unnecessarily demonize H-1B workers, many of whom face obstacles in obtaining visas and are forced to wait decades to receive green cards and build a secure life in this country,&quot; Kalra said.

BART has insisted that the display of these ads does not mean its endorsement.

&quot;This campaign complies with free speech laws that allow advertisers to express a point of view without regard to the viewpoint. BART must post these ads to comply with the law. Court rulings reinforce the fact that we can&#39;t deny the ads,&quot; a BART statement said.

&quot;BART does not endorse these ads. In fact, our Board of Directors passed a Safe Transit Policy in 2017 to send a clear message to the public and our riders that BART is a safe and welcoming system for all people,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

The campaign started on March 15, and would last till April 1

Anti-H1B posters have come up in local metro stations and commuter trains in San Francisco and California, ahead of the work visa, which is popular among Indian IT professionals, filing season beginning in April. The Progressives for Immigration Reform which has bought advertisements worth $80,000 for the San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations and trains, argues that their purpose is to create awareness about the misuse and abuse of the H-1B visa. "This is to get exposure to the H-1B programme. And with that attention, with that visibility, begin conversations on the abuses of the programmes what it was intended to be and what it has become," Kevin Lynn, director of the Washington Dc-based Progressive for Information Reform told. The campaign started on March 15, and would last till April 1, he said, adding that he has been receiving "amazingly positive" response from the users of BART. "Your companies think you are expensive, undeserving & expendable," the advertisement said. "Congress, fix H-1B law so companies must seek & hire US workers!" it said. These advertisements have been placed primarily at San Francisco's Civic Center Station and Oakland's 19th Street Stations with smaller numbers in other stations and in trains, BART said. Lynn insisted that this is not about against H-1B visa, but to create awareness about the abuses of the programme and then fix those. "The responses receiving are amazingly positive," he said, adding that there was some negative responses, wherein people mistakenly thought that this was anti-immigrant. "That all pretty much ended by Friday as news started to come out and people began to realise that this is a programme that is bringing attention to the abuses of the programme," he said. "In fact, I would say the positive responses are half and half between people who are who are foreign and people who are US citizens. Because there are two groups being abused here and exploited. One are foreign nationals who are working for companies that they have no protection, no labour laws in America are protecting the H1B worker. If company decides to fire them, they go back to whatever country they came from," Lynn said. "At the same time, companies are using H-1B workers to displace or not even think of seeking to hire an American worker who's qualified to do the job," he asserted. He said the solution is that, a company should be made to seek and hire American workers first. "Two, when we work through a programme like this, should not be for people with ordinary skills, but only the exceptionally talented. That was the intention in 1990s. It was called the genius visa," Lynn said. Most of the H-1B visa holders hold a bachelor's degree from a foreign university and 26 per cent of those have only an associate's degree, he said. "So, we're not seeing the very talented people coming to the country, but we're seeing people brought over to displace American workers," he alleged. The intention of the programme initially was to bring the best and the brightest, he said. Lynn said this publicity is "already expanding" into other cities. The nature of campaign differs from city to city. "There are reasons that a campaign like this will work well in San Francisco and maybe not well in Boston. We would use other (campaign). The purpose of this campaign is to bring attention and then to organise tech workers to create a movement that will generate a political solution to this," Lynn said. However, despite Lynn's insistence that this is not an anti-H-1B campaign, Indian-American groups have slammed Progressives for Immigration Reform and described these posters on BART stations in San Francisco as deeply problematic. "The anti-H-1B ads currently running on BART trains throughout the San Francisco Bay Area are deeply problematic and oversimplify the H-1B issue," Samir Kalra, San Francisco Bay Area based managing director of the Hindu American Foundation said. "While there have certainly been instances of abuse of the H-1B visa programme by large staffing companies that should be addressed, H-1B workers and immigrants have been a great benefit to our country. They've helped spur innovation and have made tremendous contributions to our economy and broader society," he said. "More importantly, these ads further contribute to the growing anti-immigrant sentiment and unnecessarily demonize H-1B workers, many of whom face obstacles in obtaining visas and are forced to wait decades to receive green cards and build a secure life in this country," Kalra said. BART has insisted that the display of these ads does not mean its endorsement. "This campaign complies with free speech laws that allow advertisers to express a point of view without regard to the viewpoint. BART must post these ads to comply with the law. Court rulings reinforce the fact that we can't deny the ads," a BART statement said. "BART does not endorse these ads. In fact, our Board of Directors passed a Safe Transit Policy in 2017 to send a clear message to the public and our riders that BART is a safe and welcoming system for all people," it said.

Anti H-1B posters come up in San Francisco metro stations

The US Justice Department sued California Tuesday over its so-called sanctuary city laws, stepping up the Trump administration battle against cities and states offering protection to illegal immigrants.

The suit, filed in the federal court in the eastern district of California, challenges three statutes that the state has passed in support of cities that have refused to meet the demands of federal immigration authorities to hand over undocumented immigrants for prosecution or expulsion.

The statutes &quot;reflect a deliberate effort by California to obstruct the United States&#39;&nbsp;enforcement of federal immigration law,&quot; the suit said.

The US Constitution &quot;does not allow California to obstruct the United States` ability to enforce laws that Congress has enacted or to take actions entrusted to it by the Constitution.&quot;

In an open challenge to President Donald Trump`s determined push to halt illegal immigration and expel potentially millions of people who came to the United States without papers, last October Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation making all of California a &quot;sanctuary state.&quot;

Numerous cities and counties had already declared themselves immigrant sanctuaries, meaning they would not cooperate with federal immigration agents seeking to round up illegal immigrants.

Federal authorities, including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Customs and Border Protection agencies say the sanctuaries policy allows dangerous criminal immigrants to go free.

The Justice Department, led by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has threatened to withdraw federal funding support for jurisdictions which act as sanctuaries.

California is home to the largest number of undocumented immigrants, nearly one-quarter of the estimated 11 million in total across the United States.

The suit named Brown and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, both strident defenders of undocumented immigrants, as defendants.

Brown blasted back at Sessions, who has been a key enforcer of the Trump administration`s immigration crackdown. Sessions is planning to make a speech in California on Wednesday defending the suit.

&quot;At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America,&quot; Brown said on Twitter.

&quot;Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they won`t work here. SAD!!!&quot;

The suit is just the latest in a string of court battles over the trump administration`s immigration policies.

The administration has lost in most of them, especially in its efforts to restrict immigration from a number of mostly Muslim countries.

The suit, filed in the federal court in the eastern district of California, challenges three statutes that the state has passed in support of cities that have refused to meet the demands of federal immigration authorities

The US Justice Department sued California Tuesday over its so-called sanctuary city laws, stepping up the Trump administration battle against cities and states offering protection to illegal immigrants. The suit, filed in the federal court in the eastern district of California, challenges three statutes that the state has passed in support of cities that have refused to meet the demands of federal immigration authorities to hand over undocumented immigrants for prosecution or expulsion. The statutes "reflect a deliberate effort by California to obstruct the United States' enforcement of federal immigration law," the suit said. The US Constitution "does not allow California to obstruct the United States` ability to enforce laws that Congress has enacted or to take actions entrusted to it by the Constitution." In an open challenge to President Donald Trump`s determined push to halt illegal immigration and expel potentially millions of people who came to the United States without papers, last October Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation making all of California a "sanctuary state." Numerous cities and counties had already declared themselves immigrant sanctuaries, meaning they would not cooperate with federal immigration agents seeking to round up illegal immigrants. Federal authorities, including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Customs and Border Protection agencies say the sanctuaries policy allows dangerous criminal immigrants to go free. The Justice Department, led by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has threatened to withdraw federal funding support for jurisdictions which act as sanctuaries. California is home to the largest number of undocumented immigrants, nearly one-quarter of the estimated 11 million in total across the United States. The suit named Brown and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, both strident defenders of undocumented immigrants, as defendants. Brown blasted back at Sessions, who has been a key enforcer of the Trump administration`s immigration crackdown. Sessions is planning to make a speech in California on Wednesday defending the suit. "At a time of unprecedented political turmoil, Jeff Sessions has come to California to further divide and polarize America," Brown said on Twitter. "Jeff, these political stunts may be the norm in Washington, but they won`t work here. SAD!!!" The suit is just the latest in a string of court battles over the trump administration`s immigration policies. The administration has lost in most of them, especially in its efforts to restrict immigration from a number of mostly Muslim countries.

US Justice Department sues California over pro-immigration laws

The government agency in charge of granting citizenship to prospective Americans has removed a passage from its mission statement that describes the United States as a nation of immigrants.

The move by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency &nbsp;(USCIS) was first revealed via an email shared with the Intercept, confirmed by the UK based newspaper The Guardian on Thursday.

Whereas the mission statement had previously read:

USCIS secures America&rsquo;s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.&rdquo;

It will now read:

US&nbsp;Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation&rsquo;s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honouring our values.

USCIS which processes about 6m applications a year was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, under the Department of Homeland Security.&nbsp;

In the email, USCIS director L Francis Cissna said: &ldquo;This simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency&rsquo;s role in our country&rsquo;s lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people,&rdquo; the newspaper reported.&nbsp;

The director also noted the removal of the term &ldquo;customers&rdquo;, arguing that US citizens are the agency&rsquo;s customers, not those applying for citizenship.

&ldquo;All applicants and petitioners should, of course, always be treated with the greatest respect and courtesy, but we can&rsquo;t forget that we serve the American people,&rdquo; he wrote in the email.

However, virtually the entire agency budget &ndash; between 95 per cent and 99 per cent, according to publicly available budget documents &ndash; is funded through user fees paid by the applicants and petitioners.

&ldquo;With this mission statement, we move away from the transactional language of customer and product. Citizenship, residency and the other benefits of our immigration system are granted only after a rigorous evaluation, not merely by the payment of a fee, or submission of an application,&rdquo; agency officials said.

They added that the new mission statement was effective immediately and was not ordered by Donald Trump or White House officials.

The director also noted the removal of the term “customers”, arguing that US citizens are the agency’s customers, not those applying for citizenship.

The government agency in charge of granting citizenship to prospective Americans has removed a passage from its mission statement that describes the United States as a nation of immigrants. The move by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency (USCIS) was first revealed via an email shared with the Intercept, confirmed by the UK based newspaper The Guardian on Thursday. Whereas the mission statement had previously read: USCIS secures America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.” It will now read: US Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation’s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honouring our values. USCIS which processes about 6m applications a year was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, under the Department of Homeland Security. In the email, USCIS director L Francis Cissna said: “This simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency’s role in our country’s lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people,” the newspaper reported. The director also noted the removal of the term “customers”, arguing that US citizens are the agency’s customers, not those applying for citizenship. “All applicants and petitioners should, of course, always be treated with the greatest respect and courtesy, but we can’t forget that we serve the American people,” he wrote in the email. However, virtually the entire agency budget – between 95 per cent and 99 per cent, according to publicly available budget documents – is funded through user fees paid by the applicants and petitioners. “With this mission statement, we move away from the transactional language of customer and product. Citizenship, residency and the other benefits of our immigration system are granted only after a rigorous evaluation, not merely by the payment of a fee, or submission of an application,” agency officials said. They added that the new mission statement was effective immediately and was not ordered by Donald Trump or White House officials.

USCIS removes description of US as 'nation of immigrants'

President Donald Trump has made comprehensive immigration reform in the United States one of his key legislative goals.

He&rsquo;s proposed bringing the U.S. immigration system &ldquo;into the 21st century&rdquo; by providing a path to citizenship for some undocumented migrants and by fully securing the country&rsquo;s southern border.

Central to his plans is a merit-based, Canada-style immigration system that would replace the current American system that focuses on family reunification and a diversity lottery.

But is merit-based immigration the simple solution for the complex set of immigration-related issues facing the United States?

Canada&rsquo;s &ldquo;merit-based&rdquo; system provides some lessons for the United States. Despite the relative success of the Canadian merit-based system, Canada&rsquo;s experience shows there&rsquo;s no magic bullet.

What does &ldquo;merit-based&rdquo; mean?

&ldquo;Merit-based&rdquo; immigration systems are based on the principle of selecting newcomers according to their skills, education, adaptability, language proficiency and overall human capital.

These metrics, proponents argue, allow immigrants to fill specific labour market needs. But they also act as predictors of how a newcomer might adapt to a new social, economic and cultural environment.

Yet the notion of merit is complex, contextual and highly politicised.

All immigration selection programs are rooted in implicit and explicit definitions of merit, whether they&rsquo;re based on economic criteria, ideas of cultural compatibility or family relationships. From that standpoint, all immigration programs are &ldquo;merit-based&rdquo; systems.

Current U.S. political debates tend to pit the programs of some countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand against the U.S. system as it exists today.

As several analysts and researchers have shown, however, family ties and social links can also be considered a form of merit, and may have positive impacts on immigrants&rsquo; future contributions to their new home.

Consequently, when it comes to immigration, there is no objective definition of what &ldquo;merit&rdquo; really means.

Merit-based systems have also been criticized for reinforcing global human capital inequalities and for indirectly sorting candidates based on ethnic and cultural origins.

But proponents see merit-based systems as yielding better integration outcomes. They also argue that they allow for better management of immigration levels, build public trust and are more responsive to labour market dynamics.

Trump says the system will help ensure economic growth, economic mobility for both native-born Americans and immigrants and will close the door to unwanted immigrants.

Canada&rsquo;s &ldquo;merit-based&rdquo; system

Canada implemented a points system in 1967 in order to move away from origin-based selection of immigrants. Fifty years later, in 2017, Canada admitted 296,346 permanent legal immigrants. About 52 per cent of them entered through different categories of the &ldquo;economic&rdquo; class of the immigration program, Canada&rsquo;s own version of a &ldquo;merit-based&rdquo; immigration system.

Under this system, economic immigration candidates are evaluated and ranked using a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). It&rsquo;s a 100-point selection grid that considers factors such as age, education, work specialization, work experience in Canada and abroad as well as arranged employment in Canada.

Would-be immigrants to Canada are also evaluated for adaptability, measured by elements such as past experiences in Canada, but also by the presence of relatives in the country and their spouses&rsquo; language proficiency.

So even when measuring for &ldquo;merit,&rdquo; the Canadian immigration system does include a recognition of the importance of family ties and social networks.

What&rsquo;s more, not all of the 159,125 individuals who entered Canada through the economic class in 2017 were selected using the economic criteria.

Between 2006 and 2015, only 41 to 49 per cent of these individuals were selected directly based on their potential for contributing to the Canadian economy. The rest of the economic class is comprised of close family members of the main applicant, like spouses and children.

Nonetheless, Canada&rsquo;s experience overall with its immigration program has been positive. Among other benefits, it&rsquo;s been credited with building the Canadian public&rsquo;s support for relatively high immigration levels.

But merit-based immigration programs demand investment into the system, and they may have unintended consequences. Canada&rsquo;s merit-based program provides three important lessons for U.S. policymakers and citizens:

Lesson 1: &ldquo;Merit-based&rdquo; is only the beginning

A central argument by proponents of merit-based immigration is that it will lead to better immigrant integration outcomes.

While that&rsquo;s largely true, a constellation of social and state actions also affect how immigrants fare in their newly adopted homes.

Two are especially important: Immigrant integration services and efforts to find jobs for immigrants.

Canada funds immigrant integration programs that range from language training to information on jobs, bridging programs to jobs and job training. While Canada offers specific social programs for refugees, several services are also available to all classes of permanent immigrants.

Indeed, Canada plans to spend just over $1 billion on immigrant integration services in 2018.

Experience and research have shown these programs are critical to helping merit-based immigrants succeed economically and socially. They also increase immigrants&rsquo; overall sense of belonging to their new society and encourage social participation.

But integration services are not enough: Canada&rsquo;s experience shows that while immigrants selected based on their economic criteria fare better in the labour market than others, many of them still endure economic difficulties.

Underemployment, trouble entering the labour market and the need to go back to school, despite having university degrees, are all too common experiences for Canadian immigrants even if they meet the &ldquo;merit-based&rdquo; criteria.

Skills-based immigration programs can easily run amok if the labour market can&rsquo;t accommodate foreign education and skills credentials. As a consequence, both Canada&rsquo;s federal and provincial governments have had to invest in educating employers &mdash; and are still working to create and enforce standards for foreign skills recognition.

Canada&rsquo;s experience proves that a merit-based system demands much more than simply choosing &ldquo;the right&rdquo; immigrants. Governments must invest in supporting them once they&rsquo;ve been admitted.

Lesson 2: Immigrants &amp; labour market needs

Matching the demands of the labour market to new immigrants is a challenge. That&rsquo;s due in part to the difference between the speed at which labour markets evolve and how quickly an immigration system can operate to bring job-ready candidates to any given country and employer.

The challenge is compounded by popular and political ideas about who is an &ldquo;ideal&rdquo; economic immigrant &mdash; for example, a doctor or an engineer &mdash; and the actual labour needs of the country.

In the last 30 years, those types of disconnects have been a constant test in Canada but also in other countries.

In the early 1990s, the Canadian government&rsquo;s preferred solution was to select immigrants based on predictions about their capacity to adapt to a changing labour market. To do so, they used human capital as the main merit criterion. That had several unintended effects, including the underemployment of many immigrants and labour shortages in several technical sectors.

Since then, the Canadian government has made a move towards a more demand-based model, and provides provinces and territories as well as employers with a bigger say in the selection system.

More recently, the system was again amended to reintroduce human capital factors because the immigrants selected by the demand-driven model were not considered skilled enough.

Canada&rsquo;s experience is one of a tug of war between planning for long-term labour needs and short-term labour supply.

Despite these adjustments, current Canadian programs still struggle to address the needs of labour markets that are increasingly divided between the need for high-skilled versus low-skilled workers, like those in short supply in the service sector.

Consequently, Canada relies increasingly on temporary immigration to meet market demands. In the last 10 years, the number of so-called temporary foreign workers has grown tremendously, as have concerns about worker abuses and overall precarity.

And despite reforms aimed at providing temporary workers a path to permanent residency, the need for those low-skilled labourers runs counter to the long-term social and economic objective of Canada&rsquo;s merit-based system.

What is &ldquo;best&rdquo; for the economy, and what types of immigrants are most needed, often eschews simple answers.

Lesson 3: The need for bureaucrats

Trust in the bureaucracy is critical to a successful merit-based system. Any immigrant-selection system relies on a comprehensive, technical method of assessing would-be newcomers, the gathering of information on the labour market and on global migration trends, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of programs.

On the ground, considerable work is required to assess individual applications based on merit criteria. While technology makes these tasks easier than before, well-trained public servants and well-funded public infrastructure are needed. 
In Canada and elsewhere, government workers use research, field expertise and discretion to assess applicants. The need for accurate data along with the complexity of these programs often make elected officials dependent on the expertise and advice of public servants.

Bureaucrats are uniquely positioned to see the negative consequences of selection programs, and to propose innovative solutions based on their hands-on experience.

What&rsquo;s more, experiments that have involved employers in immigrant selection programs remain inconclusive. While they remain important partners, bureaucrats still have the advantage over employers in assessing immigrants.

The move to merit-based systems often politicize not only overall immigration levels, but also the very definition of &ldquo;merit.&rdquo;

The cacophony of partisan advice and political opinion on these often highly technical assessments of immigrants means it&rsquo;s crucial to have reliable data on immigration and unbiased analysis. The trust of Canadian elected officials in the country&rsquo;s immigration bureaucracy is one of the secret ingredients of its success.

Hardly a &lsquo;magic bullet&rsquo;

A merit-based immigration might address some of America&rsquo;s immigration challenges.

But it could also have negative consequences, especially as long as state-funded integration services remain comparatively limited and not accessible to all immigrants in the U.S..

The U.S. government will also need work to ensure that the immigrants it selects will respond to the actual labour market needs of its diverse economy. The distrust the Trump administration clearly harbours towards the American federal bureaucracy might also create considerable challenges to the design and implementation of a merit-based system.

Canada&rsquo;s experience shows that selecting immigrants based on economic merit is not a silver bullet. Finding the &ldquo;right&rdquo; immigrants is the only one step in a large group of government actions that support immigrants and the country overall.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Canada's experience shows that selecting immigrants based on economic merit is not a silver bullet; finding the "right" immigrants is the only the first step.

President Donald Trump has made comprehensive immigration reform in the United States one of his key legislative goals. He’s proposed bringing the U.S. immigration system “into the 21st century” by providing a path to citizenship for some undocumented migrants and by fully securing the country’s southern border. Central to his plans is a merit-based, Canada-style immigration system that would replace the current American system that focuses on family reunification and a diversity lottery. But is merit-based immigration the simple solution for the complex set of immigration-related issues facing the United States? Canada’s “merit-based” system provides some lessons for the United States. Despite the relative success of the Canadian merit-based system, Canada’s experience shows there’s no magic bullet. What does “merit-based” mean? “Merit-based” immigration systems are based on the principle of selecting newcomers according to their skills, education, adaptability, language proficiency and overall human capital. These metrics, proponents argue, allow immigrants to fill specific labour market needs. But they also act as predictors of how a newcomer might adapt to a new social, economic and cultural environment. Yet the notion of merit is complex, contextual and highly politicised. All immigration selection programs are rooted in implicit and explicit definitions of merit, whether they’re based on economic criteria, ideas of cultural compatibility or family relationships. From that standpoint, all immigration programs are “merit-based” systems. Current U.S. political debates tend to pit the programs of some countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand against the U.S. system as it exists today. As several analysts and researchers have shown, however, family ties and social links can also be considered a form of merit, and may have positive impacts on immigrants’ future contributions to their new home. Consequently, when it comes to immigration, there is no objective definition of what “merit” really means. Merit-based systems have also been criticized for reinforcing global human capital inequalities and for indirectly sorting candidates based on ethnic and cultural origins. But proponents see merit-based systems as yielding better integration outcomes. They also argue that they allow for better management of immigration levels, build public trust and are more responsive to labour market dynamics. Trump says the system will help ensure economic growth, economic mobility for both native-born Americans and immigrants and will close the door to unwanted immigrants. Canada’s “merit-based” system Canada implemented a points system in 1967 in order to move away from origin-based selection of immigrants. Fifty years later, in 2017, Canada admitted 296,346 permanent legal immigrants. About 52 per cent of them entered through different categories of the “economic” class of the immigration program, Canada’s own version of a “merit-based” immigration system. Under this system, economic immigration candidates are evaluated and ranked using a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). It’s a 100-point selection grid that considers factors such as age, education, work specialization, work experience in Canada and abroad as well as arranged employment in Canada. Would-be immigrants to Canada are also evaluated for adaptability, measured by elements such as past experiences in Canada, but also by the presence of relatives in the country and their spouses’ language proficiency. So even when measuring for “merit,” the Canadian immigration system does include a recognition of the importance of family ties and social networks. What’s more, not all of the 159,125 individuals who entered Canada through the economic class in 2017 were selected using the economic criteria. Between 2006 and 2015, only 41 to 49 per cent of these individuals were selected directly based on their potential for contributing to the Canadian economy. The rest of the economic class is comprised of close family members of the main applicant, like spouses and children. Nonetheless, Canada’s experience overall with its immigration program has been positive. Among other benefits, it’s been credited with building the Canadian public’s support for relatively high immigration levels. But merit-based immigration programs demand investment into the system, and they may have unintended consequences. Canada’s merit-based program provides three important lessons for U.S. policymakers and citizens: Lesson 1: “Merit-based” is only the beginning A central argument by proponents of merit-based immigration is that it will lead to better immigrant integration outcomes. While that’s largely true, a constellation of social and state actions also affect how immigrants fare in their newly adopted homes. Two are especially important: Immigrant integration services and efforts to find jobs for immigrants. Canada funds immigrant integration programs that range from language training to information on jobs, bridging programs to jobs and job training. While Canada offers specific social programs for refugees, several services are also available to all classes of permanent immigrants. Indeed, Canada plans to spend just over $1 billion on immigrant integration services in 2018. Experience and research have shown these programs are critical to helping merit-based immigrants succeed economically and socially. They also increase immigrants’ overall sense of belonging to their new society and encourage social participation. But integration services are not enough: Canada’s experience shows that while immigrants selected based on their economic criteria fare better in the labour market than others, many of them still endure economic difficulties. Underemployment, trouble entering the labour market and the need to go back to school, despite having university degrees, are all too common experiences for Canadian immigrants even if they meet the “merit-based” criteria. Skills-based immigration programs can easily run amok if the labour market can’t accommodate foreign education and skills credentials. As a consequence, both Canada’s federal and provincial governments have had to invest in educating employers — and are still working to create and enforce standards for foreign skills recognition. Canada’s experience proves that a merit-based system demands much more than simply choosing “the right” immigrants. Governments must invest in supporting them once they’ve been admitted. Lesson 2: Immigrants & labour market needs Matching the demands of the labour market to new immigrants is a challenge. That’s due in part to the difference between the speed at which labour markets evolve and how quickly an immigration system can operate to bring job-ready candidates to any given country and employer. The challenge is compounded by popular and political ideas about who is an “ideal” economic immigrant — for example, a doctor or an engineer — and the actual labour needs of the country. In the last 30 years, those types of disconnects have been a constant test in Canada but also in other countries. In the early 1990s, the Canadian government’s preferred solution was to select immigrants based on predictions about their capacity to adapt to a changing labour market. To do so, they used human capital as the main merit criterion. That had several unintended effects, including the underemployment of many immigrants and labour shortages in several technical sectors. Since then, the Canadian government has made a move towards a more demand-based model, and provides provinces and territories as well as employers with a bigger say in the selection system. More recently, the system was again amended to reintroduce human capital factors because the immigrants selected by the demand-driven model were not considered skilled enough. Canada’s experience is one of a tug of war between planning for long-term labour needs and short-term labour supply. Despite these adjustments, current Canadian programs still struggle to address the needs of labour markets that are increasingly divided between the need for high-skilled versus low-skilled workers, like those in short supply in the service sector. Consequently, Canada relies increasingly on temporary immigration to meet market demands. In the last 10 years, the number of so-called temporary foreign workers has grown tremendously, as have concerns about worker abuses and overall precarity. And despite reforms aimed at providing temporary workers a path to permanent residency, the need for those low-skilled labourers runs counter to the long-term social and economic objective of Canada’s merit-based system. What is “best” for the economy, and what types of immigrants are most needed, often eschews simple answers. Lesson 3: The need for bureaucrats Trust in the bureaucracy is critical to a successful merit-based system. Any immigrant-selection system relies on a comprehensive, technical method of assessing would-be newcomers, the gathering of information on the labour market and on global migration trends, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of programs. On the ground, considerable work is required to assess individual applications based on merit criteria. While technology makes these tasks easier than before, well-trained public servants and well-funded public infrastructure are needed. In Canada and elsewhere, government workers use research, field expertise and discretion to assess applicants. The need for accurate data along with the complexity of these programs often make elected officials dependent on the expertise and advice of public servants. Bureaucrats are uniquely positioned to see the negative consequences of selection programs, and to propose innovative solutions based on their hands-on experience. What’s more, experiments that have involved employers in immigrant selection programs remain inconclusive. While they remain important partners, bureaucrats still have the advantage over employers in assessing immigrants. The move to merit-based systems often politicize not only overall immigration levels, but also the very definition of “merit.” The cacophony of partisan advice and political opinion on these often highly technical assessments of immigrants means it’s crucial to have reliable data on immigration and unbiased analysis. The trust of Canadian elected officials in the country’s immigration bureaucracy is one of the secret ingredients of its success. Hardly a ‘magic bullet’ A merit-based immigration might address some of America’s immigration challenges. But it could also have negative consequences, especially as long as state-funded integration services remain comparatively limited and not accessible to all immigrants in the U.S.. The U.S. government will also need work to ensure that the immigrants it selects will respond to the actual labour market needs of its diverse economy. The distrust the Trump administration clearly harbours towards the American federal bureaucracy might also create considerable challenges to the design and implementation of a merit-based system. Canada’s experience shows that selecting immigrants based on economic merit is not a silver bullet. Finding the “right” immigrants is the only one step in a large group of government actions that support immigrants and the country overall. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What Canada's Merit-based immigration can teach Trump administration

Mexican immigration authorities&nbsp;found 109 Central American migrants crammed into the back of a trailer truck in Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Out of the 109 migrants 39 were identified as children.

The migrants were found suffering from dehydration and asphyxia due to the time they had spent in the truck without food or water.

According to media reports, these were the victims of human trafficking and were being taken to the US.

The incident came to the light when the truck was stopped at an inspection checkpoint near Ciudad Victoria, capital city of Tamaulipas.

The truck driver was arrested along with his assistants over charges of human trafficking.

The rescued migrants include 83 Guatemalans, 17 Hondurans and nine from El Salvador.

Authorities are now assisting the rescued in their safe return by contacting their respective consulates.

Reports &nbsp;suggest hundreds and thousands of undocumented migrants cross Mexican territory every year to reach the United States. In the process, the migrants fall prey to extortion, kidnapping, murder, trafficking and all possible forms of abuse.&nbsp;

Mexican immigration authorities found 109 Central American migrants crammed into the back of a trailer truck in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Out of the 109 migrants 39 were identified as children. The migrants were found suffering from dehydration and asphyxia due to the time they had spent in the truck without food or water. According to media reports, these were the victims of human trafficking and were being taken to the US. The incident came to the light when the truck was stopped at an inspection checkpoint near Ciudad Victoria, capital city of Tamaulipas. The truck driver was arrested along with his assistants over charges of human trafficking. The rescued migrants include 83 Guatemalans, 17 Hondurans and nine from El Salvador. Authorities are now assisting the rescued in their safe return by contacting their respective consulates. Reports suggest hundreds and thousands of undocumented migrants cross Mexican territory every year to reach the United States. In the process, the migrants fall prey to extortion, kidnapping, murder, trafficking and all possible forms of abuse.

Over 100 Central American migrants found crammed in Mexican truck

President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers were locked in a standoff with Democrats on Saturday over the U.S. government shutdown, with Republicans saying they would not negotiate on immigration until the government is reopened. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump&rsquo;s presidency began without a fully functioning government. Democrats stuck to demands that any short-term spending legislation must include protections for young undocumented immigrants known as &ldquo;Dreamers.&rdquo; Republicans in turn said they would not negotiate on immigration until Democrats gave them the votes needed to reopen the government. U.S. government workers were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved in the first federal government shutdown since a 16-day funding lapse in October 2013.

The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives held rare weekend sessions on Saturday, facing a political crisis that could affect November congressional elections. By about 7 p.m. both chambers resigned themselves to failure and agreed to resume work on Sunday. Both Republicans and Democrats had dug in during the day, each side blaming the other. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote at 0100 EST (0600 GMT) Monday on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8, unless Democrats agree to hold it sooner.

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&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll be right back at this tomorrow and for as long as it takes&rdquo; for Democrats to vote for legislation that would reopen the government, McConnell said.

Outside the U.S. Capitol, parks, open-air monuments and Smithsonian museums were open as a second annual women&rsquo;s rights march took place on the National Mall. But visitors were turned away from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. A scheduled trip by Trump and some Cabinet members to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was being assessed on a day-to-day basis, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Republicans said they would refuse to negotiate on immigration until Democrats provide the votes to re-open the government. Democrats insisted they have been willing to compromise but Republicans backed out of deals.

&ldquo;The president will not negotiate on immigration reform until Democrats stop playing games and reopen the government,&rdquo; said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. Marc Short, the White House&rsquo;s legislative affairs director, said Trump had been in contact with Republican leaders in Congress during the day, but had not reached out to Democrats. Short said the president likely would be most effective making the case for ending the shutdown directly to the American people, and he did not rule out Trump addressing the nation in the coming days. The tough message from the White House and Republicans in Congress led to speculation that Washington could be in for a prolonged political battle.

At the U.S. Capitol, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a stinging portrayal of Trump as an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to an agreement several times only to have Trump back out at the urging of anti-immigration conservatives. &ldquo;Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O,&rdquo; said Schumer, who met Trump at the White House on Friday for a 90-minute meeting that had briefly raised hopes. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s impossible to negotiate with a constantly moving target.&rdquo;

&lsquo;Inches away&rsquo;

The federal government had been running on three consecutive temporary funding bills since the new fiscal year began in October. Democrats had sought to secure permanent legal protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants as a condition for new government funding after their attempts to push through the protections in stand-alone bills were rebuffed. Trump ordered the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program to expire in March, requiring Congress to act. Earlier, McConnell said a solution to the crisis was &ldquo;just inches away&rdquo; but he blamed Democrats for blocking legislation to pass the fourth stopgap funding measure.

One idea floated by Republicans was to renew government funding through Feb. 8 to end the shutdown, while working to resolve other issues, including immigration, military and non-military spending, disaster relief and some healthcare matters. U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat whose northern Virginia district has one of the highest concentrations of federal government employees, said there was no sign that serious bipartisan negotiations were taking place and he would be surprised if Congress reached a resolution before Monday. &ldquo;You can hear the crickets chirping in the hallway,&rdquo; Connolly said on Saturday evening. He said if there were negotiations, &ldquo;it would have to be really deep back channels.&rdquo; He attributed the lack of talks to &ldquo;raw feelings&rdquo; and that Trump had walked away on Friday from a deal on immigration.

A video ad released on Saturday by Trump&rsquo;s presidential campaign that says Democrats will be &ldquo;complicit&rdquo; in murders by illegal immigrants could inflame tensions. Trump had portrayed himself as the ultimate dealmaker, but his inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marked arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration. &ldquo;This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,&rdquo; he said on Twitter. The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by it beginning on a weekend. The Defense Department said combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty.

Talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will continue, as will major cybersecurity functions, and most of the Environmental Protection Agency will remain open, budget director Mulvaney said. But without a quick deal, hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s ironic that they get paid &ndash; meaning Congress &ndash; and the rest of the government doesn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work.&rdquo;

Republicans said they would not negotiate on immigration until the government is reopened

President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers were locked in a standoff with Democrats on Saturday over the U.S. government shutdown, with Republicans saying they would not negotiate on immigration until the government is reopened. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump’s presidency began without a fully functioning government. Democrats stuck to demands that any short-term spending legislation must include protections for young undocumented immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Republicans in turn said they would not negotiate on immigration until Democrats gave them the votes needed to reopen the government. U.S. government workers were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved in the first federal government shutdown since a 16-day funding lapse in October 2013. The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives held rare weekend sessions on Saturday, facing a political crisis that could affect November congressional elections. By about 7 p.m. both chambers resigned themselves to failure and agreed to resume work on Sunday. Both Republicans and Democrats had dug in during the day, each side blaming the other. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote at 0100 EST (0600 GMT) Monday on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8, unless Democrats agree to hold it sooner. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump’s presidency began without a fully functioning government × “We’ll be right back at this tomorrow and for as long as it takes” for Democrats to vote for legislation that would reopen the government, McConnell said. Outside the U.S. Capitol, parks, open-air monuments and Smithsonian museums were open as a second annual women’s rights march took place on the National Mall. But visitors were turned away from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. A scheduled trip by Trump and some Cabinet members to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was being assessed on a day-to-day basis, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Republicans said they would refuse to negotiate on immigration until Democrats provide the votes to re-open the government. Democrats insisted they have been willing to compromise but Republicans backed out of deals. “The president will not negotiate on immigration reform until Democrats stop playing games and reopen the government,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders. Marc Short, the White House’s legislative affairs director, said Trump had been in contact with Republican leaders in Congress during the day, but had not reached out to Democrats. Short said the president likely would be most effective making the case for ending the shutdown directly to the American people, and he did not rule out Trump addressing the nation in the coming days. The tough message from the White House and Republicans in Congress led to speculation that Washington could be in for a prolonged political battle. At the U.S. Capitol, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a stinging portrayal of Trump as an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to an agreement several times only to have Trump back out at the urging of anti-immigration conservatives. “Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O,” said Schumer, who met Trump at the White House on Friday for a 90-minute meeting that had briefly raised hopes. “It’s impossible to negotiate with a constantly moving target.” ‘Inches away’ The federal government had been running on three consecutive temporary funding bills since the new fiscal year began in October. Democrats had sought to secure permanent legal protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants as a condition for new government funding after their attempts to push through the protections in stand-alone bills were rebuffed. Trump ordered the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program to expire in March, requiring Congress to act. Earlier, McConnell said a solution to the crisis was “just inches away” but he blamed Democrats for blocking legislation to pass the fourth stopgap funding measure. One idea floated by Republicans was to renew government funding through Feb. 8 to end the shutdown, while working to resolve other issues, including immigration, military and non-military spending, disaster relief and some healthcare matters. U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat whose northern Virginia district has one of the highest concentrations of federal government employees, said there was no sign that serious bipartisan negotiations were taking place and he would be surprised if Congress reached a resolution before Monday. “You can hear the crickets chirping in the hallway,” Connolly said on Saturday evening. He said if there were negotiations, “it would have to be really deep back channels.” He attributed the lack of talks to “raw feelings” and that Trump had walked away on Friday from a deal on immigration. A video ad released on Saturday by Trump’s presidential campaign that says Democrats will be “complicit” in murders by illegal immigrants could inflame tensions. Trump had portrayed himself as the ultimate dealmaker, but his inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marked arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration. “This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,” he said on Twitter. The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by it beginning on a weekend. The Defense Department said combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty. Talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will continue, as will major cybersecurity functions, and most of the Environmental Protection Agency will remain open, budget director Mulvaney said. But without a quick deal, hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave. “It’s ironic that they get paid – meaning Congress – and the rest of the government doesn’t,” said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. “That’s what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work.”

First day of US government shutdown ends in standoff

Several hundred highly-skilled Indian workers, in long agonising green card wait, from across the US along with their children and spouses held a rally in front of the White House here in support of President Donald Trump&#39;s plan for a merit-based immigration system that among other things ends chain migration and diversity lottery visa.

Flying to the US capital from as far as California, Texas and Chicago and driving several hundred miles from places like Florida, New York and Massachusetts, these highly skilled Indians, living in the US for the past several years and in many cases for more than a decade, urged Trump to end the per country limit on legal permanent residency so as to eliminate the massive Green Card backlog of highly skilled Indians.

&quot;We are looking strictly for a merit-based immigration. That will bring prosperity and fast economic growth of the US,&quot; Krishna Bansal, national policy and political director of Republican Hindu Coalition, told the rally of highly skilled

Indians, who want to make the US now their permanent home.

&quot;We are with President Trump for taking initiative towards a merit-based immigration system,&quot; Bansal said, adding that his group is working with the White House and lawmakers towards a comprehensive immigration bill that should include all these things.

Giving green cards to thousands of highly skilled professionals from India would help them realise their full potential and boost country?s growth and prosperity, he said.

The participants, many of them software engineers, at the rally yesterday had banner and posters with slogans like &#39;Cut Green Card backlog&#39;, &#39;strictly merit-based point system&#39;, &#39;end country limit&#39;, &#39;we need to support legal dreamers&#39;, and &#39;We support Trump.&#39;

This was one of the rare pro-Trump immigration rallies at the White House.

President Trump last week used his first State of the Union address to push for the merit-based immigration system that admits skilled people, a proposal that could benefit technology professionals from countries like India. 
&quot;It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system -- one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country,&quot; Trump had said.

Akshita Ramesh, 13, a student of Ronald Regan Middle School in Virginia, said that green card backlogs have been taunting most high skilled immigrants who have come to this country for a better life.

&quot;The wait expectancy for a green card for a high skilled immigrant from India tends to be somewhat from 12 Years to 70+ Years, when most of the world can get their Green Card in less than 2 years,&quot; she said.

Thanjavur-born, Akshita was one and half year old when she moved to the US along with her father Ramesh Ranathan, who is in the IT profession and had a H-1B visa.

Describing herself as legal H-4 dreamer, Akshita said the current green card waiting period for Indians means that her parents are unlikely to get legal permanent residency for next few decades.

&quot;I have always known I was born in India, and that I was on H4 Visa with my dad having an approved petition to apply for Green Card, but I didn?t know about everything to the full extent. I didn?t know that being on a H4 could mean that it will be much harder for colleges to accept me, no matter how good my grades are,&quot; she said.

&quot;I didn&#39;t know that having a H4 until 21 would mean possibly getting pretty much &#39;kicked out&#39; of the US, the only home I?ve ever known, the land that I felt all the happiness of achievement, and the burning anger of disappointment,&quot; Akshita said in a passionate plea.

&quot;And all of this just because I was born in a different country that I barely even lived in? ?Don?t you think that?s unfair?&quot; she said, adding that she feels that her dreams would be shattered.

&quot;It sounds scary when I think the day I would turn 21, I would be made to feel a bit like an outcast, or a misfit in the country that I grew up in, how would you feel if you were the only one kid in an area who will be stamped as an alien, a foreigner when you turn 21, even though you?ve lived in the country your whole life?&quot; she asked.

&quot;I urge all lawmakers and the President to hear me and support us in every way you can to solve the backlogs ASAP, and guarantee that this problem is solved once and for all, and no single ambitious kid and parent will have to go through the same scenario as me,&quot; Akshita said.

According to Republican Hindu Coalition, there are nearly 200,000 children of legal immigrants-in-line from India, who have never broken the law, but who simply age out at 21 and have to go back, because their parents have a 60 year wait to get their green card after it is approved.

&quot;US Economy if it was to grow four per cent per year will need another 400,000 high-skilled workers added to the work force each year. Immigration reform needs to address this issue as well. The Hindu and Indian community has some anxiety related to Immigration issues,&quot; said Anil Sharma a member of the organizing team.

Souptik Mukherjee, another member, said that for the high skilled professional with advanced degrees the green card wait seems to be endless. &quot;Any initiative to move towards a merit- based immigration system is highly laudable.&quot;&nbsp;

Rally participants had banner and posters with slogans like 'Cut Green Card backlog', 'strictly merit-based point system', 'end country limit', 'we need to support legal dreamers', and 'We support Trump'

Several hundred highly-skilled Indian workers, in long agonising green card wait, from across the US along with their children and spouses held a rally in front of the White House here in support of President Donald Trump's plan for a merit-based immigration system that among other things ends chain migration and diversity lottery visa. Flying to the US capital from as far as California, Texas and Chicago and driving several hundred miles from places like Florida, New York and Massachusetts, these highly skilled Indians, living in the US for the past several years and in many cases for more than a decade, urged Trump to end the per country limit on legal permanent residency so as to eliminate the massive Green Card backlog of highly skilled Indians. "We are looking strictly for a merit-based immigration. That will bring prosperity and fast economic growth of the US," Krishna Bansal, national policy and political director of Republican Hindu Coalition, told the rally of highly skilled Indians, who want to make the US now their permanent home. "We are with President Trump for taking initiative towards a merit-based immigration system," Bansal said, adding that his group is working with the White House and lawmakers towards a comprehensive immigration bill that should include all these things. Giving green cards to thousands of highly skilled professionals from India would help them realise their full potential and boost country?s growth and prosperity, he said. The participants, many of them software engineers, at the rally yesterday had banner and posters with slogans like 'Cut Green Card backlog', 'strictly merit-based point system', 'end country limit', 'we need to support legal dreamers', and 'We support Trump.' This was one of the rare pro-Trump immigration rallies at the White House. President Trump last week used his first State of the Union address to push for the merit-based immigration system that admits skilled people, a proposal that could benefit technology professionals from countries like India. "It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system -- one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country," Trump had said. Akshita Ramesh, 13, a student of Ronald Regan Middle School in Virginia, said that green card backlogs have been taunting most high skilled immigrants who have come to this country for a better life. "The wait expectancy for a green card for a high skilled immigrant from India tends to be somewhat from 12 Years to 70+ Years, when most of the world can get their Green Card in less than 2 years," she said. Thanjavur-born, Akshita was one and half year old when she moved to the US along with her father Ramesh Ranathan, who is in the IT profession and had a H-1B visa. Describing herself as legal H-4 dreamer, Akshita said the current green card waiting period for Indians means that her parents are unlikely to get legal permanent residency for next few decades. "I have always known I was born in India, and that I was on H4 Visa with my dad having an approved petition to apply for Green Card, but I didn?t know about everything to the full extent. I didn?t know that being on a H4 could mean that it will be much harder for colleges to accept me, no matter how good my grades are," she said. "I didn't know that having a H4 until 21 would mean possibly getting pretty much 'kicked out' of the US, the only home I?ve ever known, the land that I felt all the happiness of achievement, and the burning anger of disappointment," Akshita said in a passionate plea. "And all of this just because I was born in a different country that I barely even lived in? ?Don?t you think that?s unfair?" she said, adding that she feels that her dreams would be shattered. "It sounds scary when I think the day I would turn 21, I would be made to feel a bit like an outcast, or a misfit in the country that I grew up in, how would you feel if you were the only one kid in an area who will be stamped as an alien, a foreigner when you turn 21, even though you?ve lived in the country your whole life?" she asked. "I urge all lawmakers and the President to hear me and support us in every way you can to solve the backlogs ASAP, and guarantee that this problem is solved once and for all, and no single ambitious kid and parent will have to go through the same scenario as me," Akshita said. According to Republican Hindu Coalition, there are nearly 200,000 children of legal immigrants-in-line from India, who have never broken the law, but who simply age out at 21 and have to go back, because their parents have a 60 year wait to get their green card after it is approved. "US Economy if it was to grow four per cent per year will need another 400,000 high-skilled workers added to the work force each year. Immigration reform needs to address this issue as well. The Hindu and Indian community has some anxiety related to Immigration issues," said Anil Sharma a member of the organizing team. Souptik Mukherjee, another member, said that for the high skilled professional with advanced degrees the green card wait seems to be endless. "Any initiative to move towards a merit- based immigration system is highly laudable."

Indian-Americans stage rare pro-Trump immigration rally to support merit-based system

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday delivered his first State of the Union address and provided his assessment of his first year in office with a look ahead at his agenda as he continues to work towards fulfilling his campaign promise to &quot;make America great again.&quot;

In the hour-long address, Donald Trump spoke about the American economy and the tax cuts undertaken by his government. He also talked about &quot;decades of unfair trade deals&quot;, &quot;immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families&quot;, &quot;what kind of nation&quot; America will be, and America&#39;s &quot;fight until ISIS is defeated&quot; among others.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-state-of-the-union-speech-full-text-31279" target="_blank">Full text of Donald Trump&#39;s State of the Union speech</a>

The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by President of United States to a joint session of the United States Congress after the president completes one year of his term.&nbsp;

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US President Trump said that &quot;together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America. The state of our union is strong, because our people are strong.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a> <a href="https://t.co/FOEqVUyHho">pic.twitter.com/FOEqVUyHho</a>
&mdash; AFP news agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/958533775742328832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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&quot;So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a>: <a href="https://t.co/Njo52YOlc2">https://t.co/Njo52YOlc2</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958524829233184768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America.&nbsp;

As Trump took the stage, amid cheer and jubilation, he talked about issues of prime importance and utmost significance to the country, its prosperity and its ties with allies. Here is a quick look at some of the key points from Trump&#39;s first State of the Union address.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-state-of-the-union-address-31215">What is the State of the Union Address?</a>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a>: <a href="https://t.co/nJF9j414YL">https://t.co/nJF9j414YL</a> <a href="https://t.co/9akH7raQta">pic.twitter.com/9akH7raQta</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958523660683415554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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United America&nbsp;

&quot;Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family.&quot;

Trump emphasised the importance of a &quot;united America&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;As we rebuild America&rsquo;s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad,&quot; Trump noted.&nbsp;

A staunch believer and propagator of the idea of the &quot;American dream&quot;, Trump further added, &quot;This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream.&quot;

Trump noted that the citizens of America love their country and deserve a government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return.&nbsp;

&quot;Tonight I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. (WION)
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Fight until ISIS is defeated

Reinstating America&#39;s zero tolerance on terrorism, the US President noted that as he assumed office last year, he had pledged to work with allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the earth.

&quot;One year later, I&rsquo;m proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done,&quot; he shared.

&quot;We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated,&quot; Trump exclaimed.&nbsp;

Economically strong America

&quot;We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day&rsquo;s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love,&quot; said Trump noting that the key to a stronger nation is closely tied to economic growth and prosperity.&nbsp;

&quot;I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve,&quot; he noted.&nbsp;

Trump furthered his statement by talking about tax relief provided to the US citizens.&nbsp;

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&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958525971765907456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Just as I promised the American People from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history.&quot;

He shared that since the tax cuts were passed, roughly 3 million workers have received tax cut bonuses &ndash; thousands of dollars per worker for many.

&quot;&Uuml;nemployment has hit a 45-year low,&quot; Trump shared.

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Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU</a>: <a href="https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb">https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb</a> <a href="https://t.co/lZeqog5Zd3">pic.twitter.com/lZeqog5Zd3</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/958525610141343744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump also touched upon issues like the immigration policy and trade practices, among others.&nbsp;

&quot;America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs and our nation&rsquo;s wealth,&quot; Trump shared.&nbsp;

Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday delivered his first State of the Union address and provided his assessment of his first year in office with a look ahead at his agenda as he continues to work towards fulfilling his campaign promise to "make America great again." In the hour-long address, Donald Trump spoke about the American economy and the tax cuts undertaken by his government. He also talked about "decades of unfair trade deals", "immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families", "what kind of nation" America will be, and America's "fight until ISIS is defeated" among others. Also read: Full text of Donald Trump's State of the Union speech The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by President of United States to a joint session of the United States Congress after the president completes one year of his term. US President Trump said that "together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America. The state of our union is strong, because our people are strong." #SOTU pic.twitter.com/FOEqVUyHho — AFP news agency (@AFP) January 31, 2018 × "So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong." #SOTU: https://t.co/Njo52YOlc2 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. As Trump took the stage, amid cheer and jubilation, he talked about issues of prime importance and utmost significance to the country, its prosperity and its ties with allies. Here is a quick look at some of the key points from Trump's first State of the Union address. Also read: What is the State of the Union Address? #SOTU: https://t.co/nJF9j414YL pic.twitter.com/9akH7raQta — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × United America "Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family." Trump emphasised the importance of a "united America". "As we rebuild America’s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad," Trump noted. A staunch believer and propagator of the idea of the "American dream", Trump further added, "This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream." Trump noted that the citizens of America love their country and deserve a government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return. "Tonight I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed," Trump said. Broadcast live across the country, the address serves as a platform for the President to directly communicate to the people of America. (WION) × Fight until ISIS is defeated Reinstating America's zero tolerance on terrorism, the US President noted that as he assumed office last year, he had pledged to work with allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the earth. "One year later, I’m proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done," he shared. "We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated," Trump exclaimed. Economically strong America "We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love," said Trump noting that the key to a stronger nation is closely tied to economic growth and prosperity. "I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve," he noted. Trump furthered his statement by talking about tax relief provided to the US citizens. #SOTU: https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb pic.twitter.com/Ppd1dRB6Hm — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × "Just as I promised the American People from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history." He shared that since the tax cuts were passed, roughly 3 million workers have received tax cut bonuses – thousands of dollars per worker for many. "Ünemployment has hit a 45-year low," Trump shared. Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low.#SOTU: https://t.co/nT5Y9ywiwb pic.twitter.com/lZeqog5Zd3 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018 × Trump also touched upon issues like the immigration policy and trade practices, among others. "America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs and our nation’s wealth," Trump shared.

Never been a better time to start living the American dream, says US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged the Congress to pass a legislation that promotes merit-based immigration, a move that would benefit hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-state-of-the-union-speech-full-text-31279" target="_blank">Full text of Donald Trump&#39;s State of the Union Speech</a>

He proposed a pathway to citizenship for almost 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought in the US by their parents at a young age.

&quot;It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system -- one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country,&quot; Trump said in his first State of the Union address.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/state-of-the-union-address-us-president-donald-trump-bids-for-safe-strong-and-united-america-31271" target="_blank">US President Donald Trump bids for &#39;safe strong and united America</a>

The State of the Union address is a traditional annual speech of the US president to a joint session of the Congress where he gives an account of the situation in the country.

He proposed four pillars of his immigration reform.

This includes building a wall, and ending chain migration and diversity visa.

Trump said that his proposal should be supported by both parties (Republican and Democratic) as a fair compromise -- one where nobody gets everything they want, but where the country gets the critical reforms it needs.

&quot;The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age -- that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration.

&quot;Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States,&quot; Trump said.

The second pillar fully secures the border, that means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more people to keep the communities safe.

&quot;Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country -- and it finally ends the dangerous practice of &#39;catch and release&#39;,&quot; Trump said.

Trump said the third pillar ends the visa lottery -- a programme that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of Americans.

The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration, he said, ruing that under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives.

&quot;Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children. This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and our future,&quot; he said.

Trump said in recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration.

In the age of terrorism, these programmes present risks we can no longer afford.

&quot;It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern, and lawful immigration system. For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen.

&quot;Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfils my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done,&quot; Trump urged the lawmakers.

Trump proposed four pillars of his immigration reform

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged the Congress to pass a legislation that promotes merit-based immigration, a move that would benefit hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals. Full text of Donald Trump's State of the Union Speech He proposed a pathway to citizenship for almost 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought in the US by their parents at a young age. "It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system -- one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country," Trump said in his first State of the Union address. Also read: US President Donald Trump bids for 'safe strong and united America The State of the Union address is a traditional annual speech of the US president to a joint session of the Congress where he gives an account of the situation in the country. He proposed four pillars of his immigration reform. This includes building a wall, and ending chain migration and diversity visa. Trump said that his proposal should be supported by both parties (Republican and Democratic) as a fair compromise -- one where nobody gets everything they want, but where the country gets the critical reforms it needs. "The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age -- that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration. "Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States," Trump said. The second pillar fully secures the border, that means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more people to keep the communities safe. "Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country -- and it finally ends the dangerous practice of 'catch and release'," Trump said. Trump said the third pillar ends the visa lottery -- a programme that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of Americans. The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration, he said, ruing that under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives. "Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children. This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and our future," he said. Trump said in recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programmes present risks we can no longer afford. "It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century," Trump said. "These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern, and lawful immigration system. For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen. "Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfils my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done," Trump urged the lawmakers.

Donald Trump for legislation that promotes merit-based immigration, move to affect Indians

President Donald Trump declared Tuesday in his State of the Union address to Congress that what he calls America&#39;s &quot;open borders&quot; had allowed drug gangs to pour into US communities.

Pointing out a guest &mdash; a mother who lost two daughters to murder &mdash; Trump urged Congress to come together to &quot;close the loopholes&quot; that he said allow in groups like El Salvador&#39;s MS-13.

&quot;Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes and our laws to enter the country as illegal, unaccompanied, alien minors,&quot; Trump claimed, laying out his immigration plan.

If the president wins congressional backing for his immigration plans they will include four pillars tightening what he and his populist supporters see as weak links in current law.

The first pillar, and one that might not find immediate support with the most vocal members of Trump&#39;s anti-immigrant base, is a &quot;path to citizenship&quot; for undocumented migrants who arrived at a young age.

The second pillar, Trump said, &quot;fully secures the border&quot; by building a huge wall on the Mexican frontier and hiring more immigration agents.

The third pillar would end America&#39;s Green Card lottery, and replace it with a so-called merit-based system for migrants with skills needed by US businesses.

And the fourth pillar &mdash; an idea that drew protests from Democrat lawmakers during the speech, would end &quot;chain migration&quot; policies that allow migrants to bring in family members.

Trump urged Congress to come together to "close the loopholes" that he said allow in groups like El Salvador's MS-13

President Donald Trump declared Tuesday in his State of the Union address to Congress that what he calls America's "open borders" had allowed drug gangs to pour into US communities. Pointing out a guest — a mother who lost two daughters to murder — Trump urged Congress to come together to "close the loopholes" that he said allow in groups like El Salvador's MS-13. "Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes and our laws to enter the country as illegal, unaccompanied, alien minors," Trump claimed, laying out his immigration plan. If the president wins congressional backing for his immigration plans they will include four pillars tightening what he and his populist supporters see as weak links in current law. The first pillar, and one that might not find immediate support with the most vocal members of Trump's anti-immigrant base, is a "path to citizenship" for undocumented migrants who arrived at a young age. The second pillar, Trump said, "fully secures the border" by building a huge wall on the Mexican frontier and hiring more immigration agents. The third pillar would end America's Green Card lottery, and replace it with a so-called merit-based system for migrants with skills needed by US businesses. And the fourth pillar — an idea that drew protests from Democrat lawmakers during the speech, would end "chain migration" policies that allow migrants to bring in family members.

'Open borders' promote guns, gangs and cost lives: Donald Trump

<p content="Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he would keep Guantanamo Bay open, breaking from his predecessor Barack Obama's lengthy and ultimately failed efforts to shutter the maligned detention facility." data-reactid="22" type="text">US President Donald Trump announced today he would keep Guantanamo Bay open, breaking from his predecessor Barack Obama&#39;s lengthy and ultimately failed efforts to shutter the maligned detention facility.

<p content="&quot;I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay,&quot; Trump said, in his State of the Union address to Congress, in keeping with a campaign promise." data-reactid="23" type="text">&quot;I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay,&quot; Trump said, in his State of the Union address to Congress, in keeping with a campaign promise.

<p content="Under president George W. Bush, the US military hastily constructed a prison camp on Guantanamo Bay, located on the US naval base on the eastern tip of Cuba, in the months following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks." data-reactid="24" type="text">Under President George W. Bush, the US military hastily constructed a prison camp on Guantanamo Bay, located on the US naval base on the eastern tip of Cuba, in the months following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

At first, inmates were held in cages and fenced in with razor wire, and conditions for the orange-jumpsuit-clad detainees provoked a global outcry in 2002.

<p content="That early facility, known as Camp X-Ray, was soon replaced with more permanent structures and today, Guantanamo Bay consists of numerous high-security prison buildings." data-reactid="26" type="text">That early facility, known as Camp X-Ray, was soon replaced with more permanent structures and today, Guantanamo Bay consists of numerous high-security prison buildings.

At the height of its operations after 9/11, the facility held 780 people, detained mostly for their alleged ties to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Since then, hundreds have been transferred back to their home countries or other places.

<p content="Some of the most notorious inmates, including several alleged 9/11 co-conspirators, among them accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are still awaiting trial." data-reactid="29" type="text">Some of the most notorious inmates, including several alleged 9/11 co-conspirators, among them, accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are still awaiting trial.

<p content="Their cases have been beset by legal woes at Guantanamo, where a bespoke criminal justice system grants detainees -- who are considered &quot;unprivileged enemy belligerents&quot; -- only some of the legal rights that US federal courts guarantee." data-reactid="30" type="text">Their cases have been beset by legal woes at Guantanamo, where a bespoke criminal justice system grants detainees -- who are considered &quot;unprivileged enemy belligerents&quot; -- only some of the legal rights that US federal courts guarantee.

Of the 41 inmates remaining at Guantanamo, about 26 are trapped in legal purgatory.

These so-called &quot;forever prisoners&quot; have never been charged -- yet they have been deemed too dangerous to release.

Some were cleared for release under Obama, but have been stranded at Guantanamo under the Trump administration.

- &#39;Bad dudes&#39; -

<p content="On the campaign trail, Trump famously vowed he would load Guantanamo with &quot;bad dudes,&quot; and said it would be &quot;fine&quot; if US terror suspects were sent there for trial." data-reactid="35" type="text">On the campaign trail, Trump famously vowed he would load Guantanamo with &quot;bad dudes,&quot; and said it would be &quot;fine&quot; if US terror suspects were sent there for trial.

In 2009, soon after he was sworn in, Obama ordered the prison to be closed within a year, and no new inmate has been sent there since early 2008.

<p content="Political bickering, vehement Republican opposition and foreign allies' reluctance to take in the prisoners meant Obama could not close Guantanamo, though the population dropped from 242 to 41 under his watch." data-reactid="37" type="text">Political bickering, vehement Republican opposition and foreign allies&#39; reluctance to take in the prisoners meant Obama could not close Guantanamo, though the population dropped from 242 to 41 under his watch.

Since becoming president, Trump has toyed with the idea of sending Americans to Guantanamo, though federal judges would likely bar any such attempt.

<p content="In October, he suggested that the man accused of carrying out a deadly truck attack along a bike path in New York could be sent to Guantanamo, but he later backed off the idea." data-reactid="39" type="text">In October, he suggested that the man accused of carrying out a deadly truck attack along a bike path in New York could be sent to Guantanamo, but he later backed off the idea.

<p content="Another case that could potentially bring Guantanamo into legal focus is that of a US citizen who was captured in Syria and had allegedly been fighting for the Islamic State group." data-reactid="40" type="text">Another case that could potentially bring Guantanamo into legal focus is that of a US citizen who was captured in Syria and had allegedly been fighting for the Islamic State group.

The man, whose name has not been released, is apparently being held in Iraq.

<p content="The American Civil Liberties Union has taken up his case and a federal judge has ruled that the US must give it advance notice before transferring the man overseas." data-reactid="42" type="text">The American Civil Liberties Union has taken up his case and a federal judge has ruled that the US must give it advance notice before transferring the man overseas.

That would allow time for the ACLU to mount a legal challenge.

Trump announces he would keep Guantanamo Bay open, breaking from his predecessor Obama's lengthy and ultimately failed efforts to shutter the facility

US President Donald Trump announced today he would keep Guantanamo Bay open, breaking from his predecessor Barack Obama's lengthy and ultimately failed efforts to shutter the maligned detention facility. "I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay," Trump said, in his State of the Union address to Congress, in keeping with a campaign promise. Under President George W. Bush, the US military hastily constructed a prison camp on Guantanamo Bay, located on the US naval base on the eastern tip of Cuba, in the months following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks. At first, inmates were held in cages and fenced in with razor wire, and conditions for the orange-jumpsuit-clad detainees provoked a global outcry in 2002. That early facility, known as Camp X-Ray, was soon replaced with more permanent structures and today, Guantanamo Bay consists of numerous high-security prison buildings. At the height of its operations after 9/11, the facility held 780 people, detained mostly for their alleged ties to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Since then, hundreds have been transferred back to their home countries or other places. Some of the most notorious inmates, including several alleged 9/11 co-conspirators, among them, accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are still awaiting trial. Their cases have been beset by legal woes at Guantanamo, where a bespoke criminal justice system grants detainees -- who are considered "unprivileged enemy belligerents" -- only some of the legal rights that US federal courts guarantee. Of the 41 inmates remaining at Guantanamo, about 26 are trapped in legal purgatory. These so-called "forever prisoners" have never been charged -- yet they have been deemed too dangerous to release. Some were cleared for release under Obama, but have been stranded at Guantanamo under the Trump administration. - 'Bad dudes' - On the campaign trail, Trump famously vowed he would load Guantanamo with "bad dudes," and said it would be "fine" if US terror suspects were sent there for trial. In 2009, soon after he was sworn in, Obama ordered the prison to be closed within a year, and no new inmate has been sent there since early 2008. Political bickering, vehement Republican opposition and foreign allies' reluctance to take in the prisoners meant Obama could not close Guantanamo, though the population dropped from 242 to 41 under his watch. Since becoming president, Trump has toyed with the idea of sending Americans to Guantanamo, though federal judges would likely bar any such attempt. In October, he suggested that the man accused of carrying out a deadly truck attack along a bike path in New York could be sent to Guantanamo, but he later backed off the idea. Another case that could potentially bring Guantanamo into legal focus is that of a US citizen who was captured in Syria and had allegedly been fighting for the Islamic State group. The man, whose name has not been released, is apparently being held in Iraq. The American Civil Liberties Union has taken up his case and a federal judge has ruled that the US must give it advance notice before transferring the man overseas. That would allow time for the ACLU to mount a legal challenge.

Trump vows to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open

Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be

Donald Trump's State of the Union Speech: Full text

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