This requires Congress to pass legislation, so cannot be done tomorrow. Legal immigration isn't a high priority in general and Congress hasn't moved on immigration in decades.
However, I was under the impression that almost all of this is directly under the purview of the Executive Branch (with the possible exception of the criminality).
Apparently one of the bottlenecks is the total number of visas per country. Demonstrating that you're unblocking the H1-B to Green Card pipeline by fast-tracking those from countries that don't have a big backlog should send the body shops running for the hills and unblock the ones with a big backlog as well. Or shutting down any new H1-Bs from countries until their backlog is gone would also accomplish the same thing.
The problem is that US companies like the multi-year indentured servitude of the H1-B program as it depresses salaries.
The executive branch cannot make laws. The H1B program and green card numerical limits came to be from Congress passing laws and can only be changed by them passing new laws.
However, I was under the impression that almost all of this is directly under the purview of the Executive Branch (with the possible exception of the criminality).
Apparently one of the bottlenecks is the total number of visas per country. Demonstrating that you're unblocking the H1-B to Green Card pipeline by fast-tracking those from countries that don't have a big backlog should send the body shops running for the hills and unblock the ones with a big backlog as well. Or shutting down any new H1-Bs from countries until their backlog is gone would also accomplish the same thing.
The problem is that US companies like the multi-year indentured servitude of the H1-B program as it depresses salaries.