President Biden is set to announce a new immigration program that will offer legal status and a path to U.S. residency and citizenship to around half a million unauthorized immigrants married to American citizens. The Department of Homeland Security policy will allow these immigrants to apply for work permits and deportation protections if they have been living in the U.S. for at least 10 years and meet other requirements. Additionally, the policy will provide a path to permanent residency, commonly known as a green card, and ultimately U.S. citizenship for many beneficiaries, making it one of the largest programs for undocumented immigrants since the Obama-era DACA initiative.
This announcement comes as President Biden marks the 12th anniversary of DACA and introduces another move to make it easier for employers to sponsor “Dreamers” and other undocumented immigrants for work visas. This is the second time in a month that the President has taken sweeping executive action on immigration. The previous action in June saw him using presidential power to disqualify most migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border from asylum, a move that was met with legal challenges.
Under the Biden administration’s program, undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens will be able to work and live in the U.S. legally on a temporary basis through the “Parole in Place” policy. This initiative will help immigrants overcome barriers in U.S. law that prevent them from obtaining permanent legal status without having to leave the country. By allowing eligible immigrants to obtain green cards without having to leave the U.S., the program aims to provide a pathway to American citizenship after a period of residency.
An estimated 500,000 unauthorized immigrants with American citizen spouses are expected to qualify for the program, with applicants needing to have been legally married by June 17 to be eligible. Those considered a threat to national security or public safety will not qualify for the program, and an estimated 50,000 immigrant children with a parent married to a U.S. citizen are also set to benefit. The policy will also extend to stepchildren of U.S. citizens, allowing them to apply for the parole process if they are under 21 years old.
The government plans to open the Parole in Place program to applications by the end of the summer, although legal challenges are anticipated, particularly from Republican-led states that have previously sued the Biden administration over its immigration policies. This program builds on an existing policy for unauthorized immigrants who are immediate relatives of U.S. service members or veterans, which was affirmed by Congress in 2020. Additionally, the State Department is announcing a streamlined process for DACA recipients and other undocumented immigrants who have graduated from U.S. colleges to obtain employment-based visas more easily.
Overall, President Biden’s immigration program is designed to provide a pathway to legal status, residency, and ultimately citizenship for undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens. By addressing some of the existing challenges in U.S. immigration law, the program aims to reunite families, provide opportunities for economic advancement, and strengthen communities across the country. Despite legal challenges and potential opposition, the administration is moving forward with this initiative to make significant changes to the immigration system.
