President Biden will announce executive actions on Tuesday aimed at protecting millions of immigrants who lack lawful status from deportation, according to senior administration officials.
One of Biden’s measures would protect immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens who have lived continuously in the country for at least a decade, officials said in a call with reporters Monday. The move would give immigrants a quicker path to U.S. citizenship, which they are entitled to through marriage.
Biden is expected to make the announcement at a White House event on Tuesday marking the 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program that provided protection to more than 800,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
The protections for spouses of citizens come two weeks after Biden announced a separate executive action Access to asylum at the southern border became limited.
With the election five months away, the president is trying to appeal to a wide range of voters. The asylum rule was a move to the right that could help him win support from liberals, while the latest announcement appeals to the left, who were angered by the asylum ban. Polls have shown that Many voters are concerned about immigration The number of people crossing the Mexican border has increased. Former President Trump Criticism of Biden’s immigration policy It is a cornerstone of his campaign to win back the White House.
Administration officials said these steps, along with previously announced measures, reflect the president’s commitment to securing the border, keeping families together and making the immigration system more fair.
How will the program work for expat spouses?
The administration will use a program called “parole in place,” which allows people to work legally and adjust their immigration status without leaving the country.
Immigrants who enter the country legally and marry U.S. citizens can obtain green cards that make them lawful residents. But as a penalty for circumventing immigration law, most people who enter illegally must return to their home countries and cannot return for many years, often at least a decade.
Many such immigrants choose to remain in the U.S. without legal status and continue to risk deportation. Parole allows the government to overlook illegal entry, allowing people to more easily continue the process of becoming legal residents.
How many people could be saved?
Administration officials said the action would protect nearly 500,000 immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens and about 50,000 immigrant youth with U.S. citizen step-parents.
To qualify, immigrants must have lived in the U.S. for 10 or more years as of June 17 and be legally married to a citizen. On average, people eligible for this process have lived in the U.S. for 23 years.
Eligible immigrant children must be under 21 years of age, unmarried, and their parents must have been married before the child turned 18.
Applications, expected to open by the end of summer, will be considered on a case-by-case basis, officials said. Applicants who are approved will become eligible for work authorization for up to three years. They will also have three years to apply for permanent residency.
Anyone who poses a threat to national security or public safety will be detained by the Department of Homeland Security and expelled or referred to other federal agencies for further investigation, officials said.
Officials said they expect most of the applications to come from Mexico as well as Central America.
Those who do not have legal status and are married to US military members are eligible for this uniform benefit Since 2010.
What else is the White House planning?
In a separate move, the Biden administration is also making the path easier for immigrants who are in the country illegally, including those with DACA status and other Dreamers. Get a work visa more quickly.
The change applies to people who have graduated from a U.S. college and received a job offer in a field related to their degree. Some work visas, such as the H-1B for workers in specialty occupations, offer a path to citizenship, although severe backlogs mean the process can take decades for people from some countries.
Under U.S. law, anyone without legal status must leave the U.S. before applying for a visa and being allowed to return. Officials said this guidance will provide more certainty and speed to the process for workers who do not have such status.
What are the supporters saying?
Business groups and other advocates have urged Biden for months to grant protections and work authorization to some long-term immigrants without legal status.
“This is a huge step forward from President Biden, and a much-needed fulfillment of a promise to keep families together,” said Todd Schulte, president of the advocacy organization FWD.us. “We celebrate with the millions who have a brighter future today, stand with those who still await similar protections, and renew our commitment to protect this progress and fix every aspect of our failed immigration system — including providing a path to citizenship for those who have waited too long.”
California Senator Alex Padilla called Biden’s action “justice” that was “long overdue for those who have been waiting but it is vital for many thriving families and communities,” The Associated Press reported.
What are the critics saying?
Critics say the move is another example of Biden bypassing Congress and abusing the parole authority. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) called it an election-year stunt.
“This is what the Border Patrol calls the pull factor,” Cornyn said. Speech in the Senate on Monday“It’s like a magnet, attracting people to the United States who know that if they wait long enough, President Biden will find a way to allow them to stay in the United States, even if they circumvent legal means of coming into the country.”
The new rules could face legal challenges, but Biden administration officials said Monday they believe they are on strong legal ground.
