Biden Administration's Plan Offers Path to Citizenship for Immigrant Spouses
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a significant move aimed at immigration reform amid an election year, President Joe Biden's administration has announced plans to grant a pathway to citizenship for potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants currently without legal status in the United States. The White House revealed on Tuesday that it will soon enable certain spouses of U.S. citizens without legal status to apply for permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship. This initiative, expected to impact upwards of half a million immigrants according to senior administration officials, comes as a balancing measure following Biden's recent stringent border policies, which drew criticism from advocates and Democratic lawmakers.
To qualify, immigrants must have lived in the U.S. for at least ten years as of June 17, 2024, and be married to a U.S. citizen. Upon approval, applicants would have a three-year window to apply for a green card, receive a temporary work permit, and be protected from deportation during this period.
Additionally, approximately 50,000 noncitizen children with a parent married to a U.S. citizen could also potentially benefit from this initiative, as outlined by senior administration officials who briefed reporters anonymously.
The Biden administration anticipates that the application process will open by the end of summer, with fees yet to be determined. The announcement coincides with the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, underscoring Biden's broader immigration reform efforts.
Moreover, the administration plans to introduce new regulations facilitating easier qualification for long-established work visas for certain DACA beneficiaries and other young immigrants, aiming to provide more robust protection than currently available under DACA, which is facing legal challenges and no longer accepting new applications.
This policy move expands on previous presidential authority utilized by George W. Bush and Barack Obama to grant "parole in place" for family members of military personnel, allowing them to pursue U.S. permanent residency without leaving the country. Andrea Flores, a former policy adviser in the Obama and Biden administrations and now a vice president at FWD.us, hailed the initiative as fulfilling Biden's commitment to safeguard undocumented immigrants and their American families.
The announcement follows Biden's recent border crackdown, which halted asylum claims for individuals arriving between designated ports of entry, resulting in a decrease in border encounters according to a senior administration official.
Tuesday's event at the White House not only marks a pivotal moment in Biden's immigration agenda but also serves as a call to action for House Democrats to reconvene in Washington, underscoring the political urgency of the administration's reform efforts.
