La loi Laken Riley : Une nouvelle ère d'implication des États dans la politique fédérale d'immigration
Kris Quadros-Ragar • February 6, 2025
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Le 29 janvier 2025, le président Trump a promulgué la loi Laken Riley, qui modifie considérablement la manière dont les politiques d'immigration sont appliquées aux États-Unis. Cette loi accorde aux procureurs généraux des États et à d'autres fonctionnaires autorisés un pouvoir sans précédent pour interpréter et mettre en œuvre les politiques fédérales en matière d'immigration. Elle leur permet également d'intenter une action en justice contre le gouvernement fédéral s'ils estiment que l'application des lois fédérales sur l'immigration a des répercussions négatives sur leur État. Grâce à cette nouvelle autorité, les États jouent désormais un rôle direct dans l'orientation des résultats en matière d'immigration, une responsabilité traditionnellement assumée par le gouvernement fédéral.
L'un des effets les plus immédiats de la loi Laken Riley est qu'elle permet aux États de demander une injonction pour bloquer la délivrance de visas aux ressortissants de pays qui refusent ou retardent de manière déraisonnable l'acceptation de leurs citoyens qui ont fait l'objet d'une mesure d'éloignement des États-Unis. Cela signifie que si un pays ne coopère pas aux efforts d'expulsion des États-Unis, ses ressortissants, quel que soit leur statut juridique, pourraient rencontrer d'importantes difficultés pour obtenir ou renouveler leur visa. Par conséquent, les ressortissants étrangers de ces pays peuvent être confrontés à une incertitude accrue lorsqu'ils voyagent à l'étranger ou obtiennent un permis de travail aux États-Unis.
Au-delà du traitement des visas, la loi introduit un nouveau niveau d'imprévisibilité dans le système d'immigration. En permettant aux procureurs généraux des États d'intervenir dans les procédures fédérales et les politiques d'immigration qui peuvent désormais varier en fonction des décisions prises au niveau de l'État. Dans les mois à venir, il reste à voir comment les différents États exerceront ce pouvoir - s'ils chercheront activement à bloquer la délivrance de visas ou s'ils feront pression en faveur de mesures plus larges d'application de la législation sur l'immigration.
Pour les ressortissants étrangers et les employeurs, il est plus important que jamais de se tenir au courant des pays considérés comme « non coopératifs ». Les personnes qui doivent faire renouveler leur visa ou qui prévoient de voyager à l'étranger doivent se préparer à d'éventuels retards et demander l'aide d'un professionnel pour faire face à ces incertitudes.
La loi Laken Riley oblige également les autorités fédérales chargées de l'immigration à détenir et à expulser les personnes sans statut légal qui sont accusées de certains délits, notamment de vol mineur ou de vol à l'étalage, d'agression contre un agent des forces de l'ordre et de délits entraînant la mort ou des blessures corporelles graves. Cette disposition souligne une approche plus stricte de l'application de la législation sur l'immigration, qui concerne les personnes accusées de délits mineurs ou graves.
Les politiques d'immigration étant désormais soumises à un nouveau niveau d'implication de l'État, il est plus important que jamais de rester informé et de se préparer à des défis potentiels. Si vous vous interrogez sur la manière dont la loi Laken Riley peut affecter votre statut d'immigrant ou votre entreprise, contactez le cabinet Santos Lloyd Law Firm pour obtenir des conseils stratégiques adaptés à vos besoins.
Ce blog n'est pas destiné à fournir des conseils juridiques et rien ici ne doit être interprété comme établissant une relation avocat-client. Veuillez prendre rendez-vous avec un avocat spécialisé en droit de l'immigration avant d'agir sur la base de toute information lue ici.
Choosing the right recommenders is one of the most critical steps in building a successful O-1 visa petition. The standard for this visa is a high one, you must not only be an accomplished professional within your field but among the very top cadre of your peers. Reference letters serve as the connective tissue of an O-1 petition, transforming a dry list of accolades into a compelling narrative of extraordinary achievement. While awards and press clippings prove that you did something, reference letters provide the expert testimony necessary to explain why it mattered. In the eyes of USCIS, these letters function as evidence that contextualize your work within the broader industry, offering a level of nuance and credibility beyond the objective facts of your career journey. Without them, an adjudicating officer is left to interpret complex professional milestones in a vacuum; with them, you have a panel of qualified experts certifying that you are not just competent, but extraordinary and indispensable to your field. In short, they are the "voice" of your petition, validating your status as an individual of extraordinary ability. If you are beginning the process of identifying your recommenders, here are four essential qualities you should look for in a contact. 1. High Public Visibility In the eyes of USCIS, the status of the recommender often reflects the status of the applicant. USCIS officers will scrutinize every aspect of your petition, and this includes researching your references. If a recommender is someone who is easily recognizable due to an extensive public profile, especially due to their accomplishments, it makes it easier to verify that their opinion of you as a candidate should be given more weight and taken seriously. Look for individuals who have a "public profile." This could mean: They are frequently quoted in major media outlets. They have a significant social media following or industry-wide recognition. They have won major awards (Oscars, Grammys, Pulitzers, etc.) or hold prestigious titles. Their name is synonymous with success in your specific niche. When an officer sees a letterhead from a globally recognized entity or a signature from a famous figure, it immediately sets the tone that you are a candidate worth evaluating, and the words they have written on your behalf will weigh strongly on the officer’s decision. 2. Significant Accomplishment in the Field Your recommender should be an "expert" in their own right, whatever that means for your particular field. USCIS needs to know that the person praising you is actually qualified to evaluate your talent and knows the difference between someone who is merely accomplished in the field versus someone who has reached the pinnacle of their profession. Ideally, your contact should be more senior or more accomplished than you are. They should have a track record of success that is beyond reproach. However, they don't necessarily have to be in your exact job title. They can be in a related field, provided they are in a position to judge your work. For example, if you are a VFX Artist, a famous Film Director or a Senior Producer would be highly qualified to evaluate your contributions to a production. 3. A Deep Professional or Personal Connection One of the most common mistakes O-1 applicants make is chasing "big names" who don't actually know them. A generic letter from a celebrity who has never met you will likely be dismissed as "boilerplate." The strongest letters come from people who can speak to your work with specificity because they have worked directly with you in a professional context. You should look for contacts who know you through: An extensive personal history: Someone who has mentored you or followed your career trajectory for years, who can thus attest to your professional growth and elite trajectory over time. Direct collaboration: Someone who has worked alongside you in a professional context, and has witnessed your impact as a professional first hand because they were also directly invested in whatever project or goal you were working towards. This can also include peers you competed against, if you are an athlete. Your reference letters should describe specific instances where your skills and accomplishments shined through, or where you and your reference worked together towards meeting some goal. This level of detail comes naturally when your reference truly knows you as a professional because of a deep familiarity with your work or direct experience with you as a professional. 4. A Willingness to Advocate Zealously This is perhaps the most underrated quality in a recommender. You do not want a contact who is only willing to "confirm the facts." A letter that simply affirms facts and offers a standard affirmation of your skills and accomplishments will not convey to the officer that you are truly extraordinary. You should seek recommenders who are willing to be effusive. They should be prepared to use strong language—words like indispensable, unparalleled, world-class, and pioneer. This is a visa for exceptionally accomplished professionals, and for your references to be effective their words must convey to the officer that you are truly extraordinary. If a contact is hesitant to provide a glowing, high-energy recommendation, they may not be the right choice for this specific legal process. Final Thoughts The O-1 visa is a high bar, and your reference letters are the pillars that hold up your petition. By seeking the right qualities in your references, you can ensure that you will receive strong and impactful letters that will in turn help to maximize your chances of receiving an O-1 visa. At Santos Lloyd Law Firm, we pride ourselves on assisting our talented clients in every aspect of the O-1 visa process. If you are an exceptionally talented individual considering applying for an O-1 visa, please contact us today and we will be happy to guide you towards a successful outcome.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has concluded the annual H-1B cap lottery for Fiscal Year 2027, with employers and legal representatives now able to check selection outcomes through their registration portals.
In 1948, the world came together to declare that certain rights are inherent to every human being, regardless of nationality. Chief among these is the right to safety.
The Universal Right to Seek Safety
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), specifically Article 14, guarantees that "everyone has the right to
