As part of that framework, the United States will debut new regional processing centers in Latin America, where migrants will be able to apply for legal pathways to the U.S., Canada, and Spain, Uriel J. García reports for the Texas Tribune.  

The administration also announced a new family reunification pathway for Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Colombians, as well as a commitment to double its goal for resettling refugees from the Western Hemisphere. And asylum seekers in Mexico will have access to more appointments through the CBP One phone application, so they can show up and be processed at an official port of entry, per a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.  

Those are the carrots, and then there are the sticks. Part of the administration's plan relies on a proposed rule that will create a presumption of asylum ineligibility for migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully, with limited exceptions. Officials could use the rule to quickly find asylum seekers ineligible and deport them, while those who try to re-enter may face harsher penalties under the law, Michelle Hackman and Sabrina Siddiqui report for The Wall Street Journal.  

More legal pathways to the U.S. are a welcome and much-needed development. However, for long-term solutions, Congress must prioritize overdue fixes to our legal immigration system. 

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s strategic communications manager, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Alexandra Villarreal, Dan Gordon and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at cvillatoro@immigrationforum.org. 

ENFORCEMENT-ONLY — After internal debate and some amendments, House GOP leadership announced their expansive immigration bill package with an enforcement-only approach that’s slated for a House floor vote in coming weeks, Rebecca Beitsch and Rafael Bernal report for The Hill. The legislative proposal combines two bills that were recently considered in the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees. "It’s in a good spot," Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) said, after leading opposition to some of its more stringent restrictions for months. "As long as nobody does any funny business — you’ve got to watch it till the very end," per Karoun Demirjian of The New York Times. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT — The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has had significant positive economic impact on its beneficiaries, according to a new poll, reports Rafael Bernal of The Hill. More than 65% of respondents reported that their DACA status helped them earn more money, allowing them financial independence, notes Bernal. Other benefits include getting better jobs, having access to financial services, and feeling confident to report a crime to the police. 

PROMISES TO BE KEPT — "We cannot let thousands remain abandoned by our nation … [P]romises were made and have yet to be kept," said Francis Q. Hoang, a Council on National Security and Immigration leader, during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing last month. His CNSI blog post includes his testimony and his call for Congress to take action. Meanwhile, in a Washington Times op-ed, Josh T. Smith and Jared K. Walton of the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University offer potential solutions for our allies still stuck in Afghanistan.  

This week in local welcome:  

TASTE OF DIVERSITY — A new restaurant in Boston combines cuisine and storytelling on the history of global migration through food, reports Laura Barrón-López of PBS. "I think that's important for us, is building empathy through food... [I]f you're able to connect people, culture to the food, it makes it more meaningful," said chef Kwasi Kwaa of Comfort Kitchen. 

Thanks for reading, 

Clara