Contradictory statements from the Trump administration about new rules for legal immigration are confusing employers and stoking fear among green card holders, writes CalMatters’ Wendy Fry.
In May the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent out a memo that initially directed most temporary visa holders living in the U.S. to return to their home countries to await their green cards. The requirement contradicted a longstanding federal policy allowing immigrants to remain in the U.S. while waiting for green cards.
Each year, more than half a million people who are already in the U.S. apply for permanent residency through a process called adjustment of status. In California, 112,100 people received green cards in 2023, or nearly one in five issued in the U.S. that year.
Employers, particularly tech companies, said the new mandate could disrupt operations and cause talent to leave. Relatives of U.S. citizens, mixed-status families and international students would also be most affected by the new policy.
Following a public backlash, the Trump administration backpedaled on the memo, saying it wasn’t a blanket policy. But it also failed to provide more details, such as how the new policy would be applied, who would need to comply and if it would affect pending green card applicants or just new ones.
In a written statement to CalMatters, the Department of Homeland Security said the policy “will have no noticeable impact on highly qualified applicants and skilled professionals who have followed the law.”
But among immigrants and those who hope to receive green cards, the confusion has already been sown, said Patrick Kolasinski, an immigration attorney based in Modesto.
- Kolasinski: “Trying to change this policy the way they did is completely illegal. … There is no more rule of law. There is no more predictability. It’s completely the Wild West, and that’s been the case for a year and a half now.”
CalMatters’ live election results: Californians finished voting on June 2 for the primary election, but it could take days, even weeks, for winners to be declared in close contests. As the votes are counted, we’ve got you covered with stories on all the key races, plus continually updated results. Check it out.
Other Stories You Should Know
Shasta County to boot its elections chief
The race for which two candidates will appear on the November ballot for governor is still too close to call. Republican Steve Hilton remains in the lead as of Wednesday, followed by Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer. We’ll be sure to tell you as soon as we know the outcome.
But one local race that is on the verge of concluding could set the stage for a tense November election in a county known for election conflicts and conspiracies, reports CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow.
Shasta County voters are poised to oust their registrar of voters, Clint Curtis, who is a self-proclaimed “elections integrity advocate.” Shortly after being appointed to the role last year, Curtis accused his predecessors of stuffing ballots to sabotage the GOP (even though the county reliably votes Republican) and fired then-elections office worker Joanna Francescut.
Now, voters appear on track to replace Curtis with Francescut. Because there are only two candidates in this race, there is no runoff and Francescut would clinch the spot outright.
But voters’ imminent expulsion of Curtis isn’t exactly a referendum on his views: An initiative he promoted, which would require the hand-counting of ballots, in-person voting and voter ID, is also leading. If it passes, it would likely trigger a legal battle with the state, which in 2024 passed a law banning local voter ID requirements. Even if Curtis loses, he will also be in office until Jan. 1.
A $28 minimum wage for homebuilders?
California’s two most powerful construction worker unions are butting heads over a wage-related proposal that, depending on who you ask, would either raise pay for workers or lower it, reports CalMatters’ Ben Christopher.
The bill would give townhouse developers a win by lifting regulatory barriers to building these multistory homes. But it would also require them to pay their workers at least $28 per hour, or about $11 more than the statewide minimum hourly wage. California’s unionized carpenters support the new wage standard.
But the State Building and Construction Trades Council opposes it, arguing that setting a wage floor would drive down “prevailing wages.” These wages are state- or federally-determined wages that vary by occupation and location, and are generally comparable to union wages. The proposed minimum wage would be far lower than what most trades members already make. The current federal prevailing wage required for a residential roofer in Sacramento, for example, is $46.73 per hour plus benefits.
In floor debates earlier this month, the bill’s author, Democratic Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva of La Palma, said the measure “does not undercut prevailing wage.” But the trades council remains skeptical.
- Chris Hannan, president of the trades council: “When you start a trend of doing a minimum wage, then that becomes the new go-to.”
And lastly: A boost for tribal colleges
California is home to the largest number of Native residents of any state, but it has just one confirmed tribal college and little state funding support. Now, two bills before the state Senate — as well as the recent accreditation of California Indian Nations College in Palm Desert — aim to bolster tribal education in California. Read more from Ella Carter-Klauschie of CalMatters’ College Journalism Network.
California Voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: If election results hold, Becerra could go on to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom in November, and his rise would be one of the many unforeseen aspects of a campaign unlike any we’ve seen in recent years.
CalMatters contributor Jim Newton: Spencer Pratt advancing in the Los Angeles mayoral race with incumbent Karen Bass would make it easier for Bass to skip an important opportunity to debate the city’s future.
Other things worth your time:
Big Tech’s big flop on primary night // Politico
SF union-backed Overpaid CEO Tax too close to call in early results // San Francisco Chronicle
CA High-Speed Rail reveals private group that could help build past Central Valley // The Fresno Bee
Monterey Park overwhelmingly votes to become first city in the US to permanently ban datacenters // The Guardian
Early returns indicate LA County voters have doubts about healthcare sales tax measure // Los Angeles Times
Temporary rent-gouging protection vanishes for LA fire survivors as county lets ban expire // Los Angeles Times
San Diego voters rejecting measure that would heavily tax second homes // The San Diego Union-Tribune
