Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 23 / Friday, February 5, 2021 / Presidential Documents 8277 

Executive Order 14012 of February 2, 2021 

Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and 

Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New 

Americans 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Policy. Over 40 million foreign-born individuals live in the United 

States today. Millions more Americans have immigrants in their families 

or ancestry. New Americans and their children fuel our economy, working 

in every industry, including healthcare, construction, caregiving, manufacturing, service, and agriculture. They open and successfully run businesses 

at high rates, creating jobs for millions, and they contribute to our arts, 

culture, and government, providing new traditions, customs, and viewpoints. 

They are essential workers helping to keep our economy afloat and providing 

important services to Americans during a global pandemic. They have helped 

the United States lead the world in science, technology, and innovation. 

And they are on the frontlines of research to develop coronavirus disease 

2019 (COVID–19) vaccines and treatments for those afflicted with the deadly 

disease. 

Consistent with our character as a Nation of opportunity and of welcome, 

it is essential to ensure that our laws and policies encourage full participation 

by immigrants, including refugees, in our civic life; that immigration processes and other benefits are delivered effectively and efficiently; and that 

the Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and other barriers that 

prevent immigrants from accessing government services available to them. 

Our Nation is enriched socially and economically by the presence of immigrants, and we celebrate with them as they take the important step of 

becoming United States citizens. The Federal Government should develop 

welcoming strategies that promote integration, inclusion, and citizenship, 

and it should embrace the full participation of the newest Americans in 

our democracy. 

Sec. 2. Role of the Domestic Policy Council. The role of the White House 

Domestic Policy Council (DPC) is to convene executive departments and 

agencies (agencies) to coordinate the formulation and implementation of 

my Administration’s domestic policy objectives. Consistent with that role, 

the DPC shall coordinate the Federal Government’s efforts to welcome and 

support immigrants, including refugees, and to catalyze State and local 

integration and inclusion efforts. In furtherance of these goals, the DPC 

shall convene a Task Force on New Americans, which shall include members 

of agencies that implement policies that impact immigrant communities. 

Sec. 3. Restoring Trust in our Legal Immigration System. The Secretary 

of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security 

shall review existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and 

any other similar agency actions (collectively, agency actions) that may 

be inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. 

(a) In conducting this review, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, 

and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall: 

(i) identify barriers that impede access to immigration benefits and fair, 

efficient adjudications of these benefits and make recommendations on 

how to remove these barriers, as appropriate and consistent with applicable 

law; and 


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(ii) identify any agency actions that fail to promote access to the legal 

immigration system—such as the final rule entitled, ‘‘U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other 

Immigration Benefit Request Requirements,’’ 85 Fed. Reg. 46788 (Aug. 

3, 2020), in light of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act (title 

I of division D of Public Law 116–159)—and recommend steps, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to revise or rescind those agency 

actions. 

(b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, 

the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each 

submit a plan to the President describing the steps their respective agencies 

will take to advance the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. 

(c) Within 180 days of submitting the plan described in subsection (b) 

of this section, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary 

of Homeland Security shall each submit a report to the President describing 

the progress of their respective agencies towards implementing the plan 

developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and recognizing any 

areas of concern or barriers to implementing the plan. 

Sec. 4. Immediate Review of Agency Actions on Public Charge Inadmissibility. 

The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland 

Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, as appropriate, shall 

review all agency actions related to implementation of the public charge 

ground of inadmissibility in section 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4), and the related ground of deportability 

in section 237(a)(5) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(5). They shall, in considering 

the effects and implications of public charge policies, consult with the 

heads of relevant agencies, including the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Housing and 

Urban Development. 

(a) This review should: 

(i) consider and evaluate the current effects of these agency actions and 

the implications of their continued implementation in light of the policy 

set forth in section 1 of this order; 

(ii) identify appropriate agency actions, if any, to address concerns about 

the current public charge policies’ effect on the integrity of the Nation’s 

immigration system and public health; and 

(iii) recommend steps that relevant agencies should take to clearly communicate current public charge policies and proposed changes, if any, to 

reduce fear and confusion among impacted communities. 

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, 

the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each 

submit a report to the President describing any agency actions identified 

pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) of this section and any steps their agencies 

intend to take or have taken, consistent with subsection (a)(iii) of this 

section. 

Sec. 5. Promoting Naturalization. 

(a) Improving the naturalization process. The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, within 60 days 

of the date of this order, develop a plan describing any agency actions, 

in furtherance of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order, that they 

will take to: 

(i) eliminate barriers in and otherwise improve the existing naturalization 

process, including by conducting a comprehensive review of that process 

with particular emphasis on the N–400 application, fingerprinting, background and security checks, interviews, civics and English language tests, 

and the oath of allegiance; 

(ii) substantially reduce current naturalization processing times; 


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(iii) make the naturalization process more accessible to all eligible individuals, including through a potential reduction of the naturalization fee 

and restoration of the fee waiver process; 

(iv) facilitate naturalization for eligible candidates born abroad and members of the military, in consultation with the Department of Defense; 

and 

(v) review policies and practices regarding denaturalization and passport 

revocation to ensure that these authorities are not used excessively or 

inappropriately. 

(b) Implementing improvements to the naturalization process. Within 180 

days of the issuance of the plan developed pursuant to subsection (a) of 

this section, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary 

of Homeland Security shall each submit a report to the President describing 

the progress in implementing the plan, any barriers to implementing the 

plan, and any additional areas of concern that should be addressed to 

ensure that eligible individuals are able to apply for naturalization in a 

fair and efficient manner. 

(c) Strategy to promote naturalization. There is established an Interagency 

Working Group on Promoting Naturalization (Naturalization Working Group) 

to develop a national strategy to promote naturalization. The Naturalization 

Working Group shall be chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security, 

or the Secretary’s designee, and it shall include the heads of the following 

agencies, or senior-level officials designated by the head of each agency: 

(i) the Secretary of Labor; 

(ii) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; 

(iii) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; 

(iv) the Secretary of Education; 

(v) the Secretary of Homeland Security; 

(vi) the Commissioner of Social Security; and 

(vii) the heads of other agencies invited to participate by the Working 

Group chair. 

(d) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Naturalization Working 

Group shall submit a strategy to the President outlining steps the Federal 

Government should take to promote naturalization, including the potential 

development of a public awareness campaign. 

Sec. 6. Revocation. The Presidential Memorandum of May 23, 2019 (Enforcing 

the Legal Responsibilities of Sponsors of Aliens), is revoked. The heads 

of relevant agencies shall review any investigations or compliance actions 

initiated pursuant to that memorandum and shall determine whether to 

suspend, as appropriate, any investigations or compliance actions inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. The heads 

of relevant agencies shall review any agency actions developed pursuant 

to that memorandum and, as appropriate, issue revised guidance consistent 

with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. 

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed 

to impair or otherwise affect: 

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, 

or the head thereof; or 

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and 

subject to the availability of appropriations. 


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(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

February 2, 2021. 

[FR Doc. 2021–02563 

Filed 2–4–21; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F1–P 


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