Biden’s Plan Grants Amnesty to 500K Immigrant Spouses

President Joe Biden has introduced a groundbreaking program that could provide lawful permanent residency to hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens, marking the most significant immigrant protections in a decade. The announcement comes at a crucial time, with migration concerns topping voter priorities in this presidential year.

The new “parole in place” initiative, unveiled on Tuesday, aims to grant amnesty and a path to legal permanent residency to 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens and 50,000 children under 21. Previously, these individuals were often required to leave the country and wait abroad for their applications to be processed, leading to prolonged separation from their families.

To be eligible, applicants must have lived in the U.S. for 10 or more years and have been legally married to a U.S. citizen as of Monday’s announcement.

The program aims to facilitate the path to citizenship by allowing eligible applicants to obtain a green card without leaving the U.S., thus avoiding the risk of being banned from re-entering due to living in the country illegally.

Qualifying participants will be permitted to live and work in the U.S. for a three-year period while they apply for permanent residency. The Department of Homeland Security will review applications on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as potential threats to public safety or national security.

The initiative also aims to expedite the work visa application process for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Dreamers, and other immigrants without full legal status who have earned a college degree in the U.S. and received a U.S. job offer related to their degree.

The announcement coincides with the 12th anniversary of DACA, enacted by former President Barack Obama. President Biden is scheduled to discuss the program further at 2:45 p.m. EDT.

However, not everyone is supportive of the plan. The Trump campaign has criticized it, predicting that it will lead to increased migrant crime, strain public services, and impact Social Security and Medicare benefits for American seniors.

This announcement comes amidst ongoing immigration challenges faced by the Biden administration, including a surge in border crossings and Republican opposition to legislative solutions. The political response from Republicans is expected to be critical, although they may tread cautiously to avoid alienating potential Latino swing voters.

President Biden’s new immigration plan offers hope to hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens. Eligible applicants could receive amnesty and a path to legal permanent residency, avoiding prolonged separations from their families. The plan includes measures to expedite work visa applications for certain groups, such as DACA recipients and Dreamers. The political response, particularly from Republicans, is expected to be critical but may be tempered to avoid alienating Latino voters. This announcement represents a significant step in addressing immigration challenges, but its full impact remains to be seen.