The White House has announced new steps on Tuesday to protect thousands of illegal immigrants living in the United States.
Officials informed Politico that Biden’s latest plan will urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend protections to approximately 500,000 illegal immigrant spouses and children of US citizens.
The president also revealed plans to grant “DACA recipients and Dreamers” work permits rather than temporary work authorization, according to a White House news release:
- Today, President Biden is announcing that the Department of Homeland Security will take action to ensure that U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together.
- This new process will help certain noncitizen spouses and children apply for lawful permanent residence – status that they are already eligible for – without leaving the country.
- These actions will promote family unity and strengthen our economy, providing a significant benefit to the country and helping U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together.
- In order to be eligible, noncitizens must – as of June 17, 2024 – have resided in the United States for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen, while satisfying all applicable legal requirements. On average, those who are eligible for this process have resided in the U.S. for 23 years.
- Those who are approved after DHS’s case-by-case assessment of their application will be afforded a three-year period to apply for permanent residency. They will be allowed to remain with their families in the United States and be eligible for work authorization for up to three years. This will apply to all married couples who are eligible.
- This action will protect approximately half a million spouses of U.S. citizens, and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under the age of 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen.
A June CBS/YouGov poll found that 62% of registered voters would support a government program to deport all illegal immigrants living in the United States.
The president took unilateral action on June 4 to tackle the migrant situation, despite claims for months that he lacked the authority to do so.
