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Before we jump into this episode of Immigration Law for Tech Startups, I am thrilled to announce that DACA is back—100% back! On Dec. 4, a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to resume approval of new DACA applications and work permits and granting them in two-year increments.
In this podcast episode, I’m thrilled to discuss the ideal immigration system for the U.S. with Professor Bill Ong Hing, one of my heroes in the immigration law field.
Bill is a professor of law and migration studies at the University of San Francisco. He teaches a lot of really cool classes about immigration policy, rebellious lawyering, negotiation. He is also the director of the Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic at USF, which is currently helping more than 400 asylum clients with their cases free of change. In 1979, Bill founded the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), a national nonprofit based in San Francisco that provides legal training, technical assistance, and educational materials, and engages in advocacy and immigrant civic engagement to advance immigrant rights. He continues to volunteer at ILRC as general counsel.
While Bill is pleased by the incoming Biden administration, his outlook remains tempered as to prospects for comprehensive immigration reform in Congress. “If it had been a landslide victory for Biden, I would be more confident,” he says. Still, he remains hopeful for more positive changes ahead for U.S. immigration policy—even more than what came out of the Obama administration, such as DACA and some prosecutorial discretion moves.
Bill talks in more detail about the prospects and benefits of a startup visa—or at least the reinstatement of the International Entrepreneur Rule—shifting to a first-come, first-served green card allocation process, creating immigrant enterprise zones, reforming the asylum system, and more.
We’ve been able to successfully navigate the immigration landscape during the last four years under the Trump administration, so now, even more opportunities are open under the incoming Biden administration. We are looking forward to seeing more people being able to live their dreams of living, creating, and innovating in the U.S. Please share this episode with investors, companies, startup founders, or anyone who can benefit from it. Reach out to us. We can help you determine your best immigration options whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- Bill’s assessment of where things stand with immigration now, and how that may change under the incoming Biden administration
- Why he hopes the Biden administration will achieve more in immigration reform than President Obama
- Rebellious lawyering—what it is and what it means
- Why immigrants create jobs, and why a variety of job skills are needed in the U.S.
- Why Bill sees the good news about DACA as tempered by a potential legal challenge by the state of Texas to work permits under DACA
- Bill’s thoughts on the prospects of a startup visa or the reinstatement of the International Entrepreneur Rule
- Why immigrants significantly contribute to the economy, particularly the Social Security system
- The benefits of making the green card process based on first come, first served; creating immigrant enterprise zones; and things to think about when creating a fair point-based immigration system
- Where things stand with asylum system in the U.S., and where should it go from here
- Where Bill draws inspiration and his advice to listeners
Don’t miss my upcoming conversations with other top Silicon Valley venture capitalists, startup founders, professors, futurists, and thought leaders on Immigration Law for Tech Startups. Subscribe to this podcast here or on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or whatever your favorite platform is. As always, we welcome your rating and review of this podcast. We appreciate your feedback!
Resources:
To donate to Bill’s program, the Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic at the University of San Francisco Law School, click here and make sure to designate your donation to the Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic.
Sophie mentioned a book that offers a positive alternative from the “drama triangle” trap of victims, persecutors, and rescuers to something more freeing and positive. Check out The Power of TED (The Empowerment Dynamic) to understand how to transform your relationships into those of creators, challengers, and coaches.
Immigration Law for Tech Startups
Episode 43: What a Biden Victory Means for Immigration
Tech Crunch Dear Sophie columns
“What does Biden’s win mean for tech immigration?”
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Get Alcorn’s Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook
